


Ghosts

by auntylala



Series: Season Two Cannon [6]
Category: Torchwood
Genre: Angst, F/M, M/M, Romance, Unrequited
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-17
Updated: 2016-07-19
Packaged: 2018-07-24 12:58:57
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 22,351
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7509196
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/auntylala/pseuds/auntylala
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Doubt has Ianto wondering if he was just a convenient second choice for Jack as the team finally meet Rhys in the course of investigating a crashed Harwoods lorry. Leaving Jack and Ianto chasing ghosts. In my world this follows Tommy and in the cannon it is set around episode 4 and skirts around episode 5 of season 2.</p><p>posted in 2013 on fanfiction.net no beta and re-edited now.  I own nothing and this is my take on the relationship between Jack and Ianto and how it fits around the cannon story line.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. One

Ianto felt like he was on the outside, watching Jack watching Gwen. Rationally he knew it was probably related to the Harwoods lorry filled with alien meat, wondering how involved Rhys was. But it didn't help, he still felt like he was on the edges of Jack's life. Never fully there as he waited on the periphery. He thought they had gotten past outside influences but right now he wasn't so sure. All his previously ignored doubts were bubbling back up. Every fear he'd had that he had been Jack's second choice filling the spaces between his thoughts. Fears he had buried so deeply he hadn't even acknowledged them until now. Until she looked at Jack, who looked back. 

He was reminded of when Jack had come back and found she was engaged. It seemed only after that had he thought to ask him how he was. To ask him out on a date. Was it because she had not waited for him, was no longer free? Or had Jack always planned to ask him out for dinner and a movie. He wondered if he had just been the second choice that had worked out conveniently well. He hated the doubts, the pain of not knowing. The fear of the answer paralyzing him, stopping him from asking. Seeping poison into their relationship as it sowed seeds of doubt watered by every longing look exchanged and intercepted. 

Tosh wanted Owen, who slept with Gwen, who wanted Jack who was sleeping with him. Hardly an emotionally healthy environment for any relationship. It was like an episode of Jerry Springer just waiting for cameras to start rolling. He wasn't even sure what he and Jack were. He stopped at that thought, he had hoped it was behind him, them. After dinner interrupted the night they had bumped into Becky they had both said it wasn't just sex. They had spent every night together since the gnome incident, every night leaving him feeling loved. He hadn't felt second until now, watching Gwen making eyes at Jack. He ran a hand though his hair and hoped the ghost of Gwen wouldn't infect them. If it wasn't too late.

The door of the Hub rolled closed behind Tosh and Owen as they left for the evening. Gwen was taking Rhys back out the way they had come in, via the lift. Now nicknamed the tourist entrance after their brush with John Hart. Much as Ianto hated it, it was catchy, like the Harwood's jingle. With the others gone he was alone in the Hub with Jack. And the dinosaur but she wasn't going to bother them. He felt slightly guilty about feeding her the alien meat but she seemed to like it. 

'So, Rhys seems nice.'  
'Yes.' Jack looked at Ianto. 'Look, do you want to get out of here? Maybe catch a movie and make out in the back row like teenagers.'  
Ianto nodded. 'Sure.' The little voice of poisoned doubt whispering that they couldn't talk about today at the movies. In the dark they couldn't talk at all.  
He looked at Ianto. The word said yes but everything about the man screamed no. 'Unless you just want to find a quiet restaurant, have dinner and talk.' He watched Ianto shrug.  
'What's there to talk about?'  
Jack folded him into his arms. 'Well you and Owen seem to be playing nicely, and meeting Rhys, that's unusual for this place. It's a lot to talk about.' And of course I love you, which he still couldn't bring himself to say. But he wasn't the only one.

'Um, dinner would be nice, will we actually stay for our meal this time?'  
Jack raised his eyebrows and grinned.  
'I'll get my jacket.'  
'Ianto.'  
'Jack.'  
'Why would we release a single?'  
'It's what Bob Geldof would do, Sir.'  
Jack blinked a few times while he tried to work out if Ianto was being serious, he probably was. 'Come on, lets find a quiet corner with a table for two.'

\----------

They found a restaurant called Little Cyprus that did indeed have a corner with a table tucked away   
in the back for privacy.   
'I haven't been here before, you?'  
Ianto shook his head. 'Rhys seems nice.'  
'Didn't I say that at the Hub.'  
He sighed, why did he get so nervous out on a date with Jack. 'Yep.'  
Jack reached out and brushed his hand over Ianto's who tried to relax. This was how it had started last time. Awkward conversation and butterfly inducing looks and touches. He didn't pull away. Jack smiled as Ianto moved his hand closer, meeting him halfway. Now they just needed something to talk about. Which worried him, what did they have that wasn't work or sex? 'What do you think of the new James Bond.'  
Ianto shrugged. 'He seems all right, even if he didn't know how to drive a manual.' They were talking about James Bond? Did this mean Jack wanted to play spy games?  
'I think I'd make a good James Bond.' 

Ianto laughed. 'In the movies or real life? Don't you get enough death defying action at work?'  
'I get plenty of action at work, and I've started locking doors, I'll have you know. But he does have cool gadgets.'  
'So do we, although Owen did just shoot the door open rather than use the unlocking alien device thing we have in the archives. And I appreciate the locked doors.'  
'I think Owen does too.' Jack grinned. 'You're certainly enthusiastic in your appreciation.'  
Ianto blushed.  
'Have you been to Cypress or Greece?'  
'No. We talked abut going but, Canary Wharf, sort of happened.'  
'I'm sorry Ianto, I didn't know.'  
He shook his head. 'How could you? I'd still like to go one day, I'm just not sure I'm ready for that yet.'

'Why do you speak so many languages?'  
He shrugged. 'I'm just good with languages, it gave me something to do between terms at school.'  
'Gave you something to do?'   
'I spent a lot of time at my gran's where we spoke Welsh, of course. One of her neighbours, Mrs Taylor, she was born in Italy, I think she liked being able to speak Italian with someone, they never had children. And Mrs Jones across the street, no relation mind, she was French and Mr Davies, his, well, companion, Moshe Levi he's Jewish.'  
'You speak Hebrew? That isn't in your file, or is it Yiddish?'  
He shook his head. 'German, Moshe was Jewish but he helped me with my grammar, he also taught me how to play the piano. His family had left long before the war started so he never hated the language.'

Jack was amazed, he'd just learned more about Ianto in ten minutes than he had since meeting the man. 'You don't talk much about before London, before Torchwood.'  
'There's not much to talk about.'  
'You sell yourself short, I would like very much to know more.' Jack could have sworn Ianto looked relieved at the arrival of the moussaka they had both ordered.  
'Of course, you don't talk much about your life before Torchwood either.'  
'And how is your mother enjoying married life?'  
Ianto groaned. 

'Please dear god can we be working over Christmas this year. I will agree to practically anything if you come up with something.'  
'Oh yes? Are we talking kinky?'  
'Ah ha, just, no extra people.'  
'Fair enough, but why this year, I thought you cooked last year.'  
'Morris is cooking Christmas dinner. He's already talking tofu recipes Jack. Have you eaten tofu?'  
'It's sort of squishy isn't it.'  
He nodded. 'I just can't do it. I can accept that he is not an axe murder but tofu?'  
'I think I might need you in the Hub this year, but you have to cook me dinner.' He watched Ianto   
visibly relax and he smiled. 'The moussaka is very good.'  
Ianto nodded again. 'I can never quite get it right myself.'  
'Maybe you need a Greek cookbook.'  
'Wouldn't help, I can't read Greek.'  
'You can buy them in English.'

He rolled his eyes as he pushed his now empty plate away.   
'Can I interest you in desert or we could go for a walk and find some ice cream.' Jack paused. 'No, ice cream gives you a headache.'  
'That's right, it does.'  
'The tone of surprise, I'm hurt.' He took his hand in both of his. 'I do listen.'  
Ianto smiled. 'I never said you didn't.'  
Jack kept smiling, he hadn't pulled his hand away. 'Desert? Or we could just walk around, it isn't completely dark yet.'   
'What, no rush to get back to the Hub?'  
He shook his head. 'I'm enjoying not being at work.'  
'Fair enough, I think a walk would be nice, since it's not raining for a change.'  
'Why is your Welsh weather so dreary?'  
'It isn't my weather and I hardly think it's deliberate.'  
'Really because I'm not so sure.'  
'Come on, it will start snowing soon enough, we should make the most of it.'

Jack nodded as he paid the bill and led Ianto out into the early Cardiff evening. It was a reasonably mild autumn evening but winter was seeding in reminders that it too was not far away. They walked in silence as they moved towards the water, dodging a group of brash American tourists as they moved into the shadows. Ianto looked out across the dark water and leaned against the rail. He loved this time of year, it was crisp but winter was still a memory of days yet to come. The madness of Christmas and another year wrapping itself up in discarded tinsel but they still had now. Jack reached out and took his hand. 

'So you and Owen kicked in a door today.'  
He nodded as he moved closer to Jack. 'Guns out and everything.'  
'Why is he so determined to wave his gun around?'  
'Are we talking an actual gun or some sort of thinly veiled reference to a penis?'  
'Hand gun why, do you have a thinly veiled reference in mind?'  
'Well, since he sort of, saw yours, he hasn't been quite the same.'  
'No one ever is.' 

He grinned, even in the shadows he knew Ianto was blushing. He leaned in and brushed a soft kiss over Ianto's lips. The intent being a sweet brief touch but as Ianto sighed into the kiss he found he didn't want to stop. Hands moved to hold Ianto's face, a gentle caress as he let himself go. He could feel hands reaching for him, sliding around his waist inside his coat. Moving over up his back to hold him closer as they explored the mechanics of the kiss.

Jack thought he could feel time slow and the sounds of the night around them fade into the distance. Their hearts followed the same rhythm, sounding like the slow dripping of a tap. They stood in each other, their noses and foreheads touching as they both fought for air. Jack groaned softly.   
'Do you have any idea of what you do to me Ianto Jones.'  
'Not if you don't tell me.'  
'You turned my world upside down the first time I met you.'  
'Funny, you did the same thing to mine.' He considered this would be the perfect opportunity to say I love you to Jack. If he was an author writing the perfect scene, the perfect moment would be this one. But he didn't say it. He still wondered if he was just a convenient second choice because Gwen was already spoken for. 

Jack wanted to groan with frustration, every time, he was still taking two steps forward and the occasional one back. Somewhere between kissing Ianto, telling him he turned his world upside down and now, he'd lost him again. 'I can't follow you if I don't know where you've gone.'  
Ianto sighed softly. 'I just feel so over whelmed at times Jack.'  
Jack pulled back to give him space. 'I don't know what you need me to say. Tell me and I'll say it. If you want me to buy you all the Wedgwood in Cardiff I will. If you want to get a kitten together we can do that, although I think Myfanwy might try to eat it if we kept it at the Hub.'  
'A kitten?'  
'You don't like cats?'  
Ianto sighed. 'This isn't something a cat can fix Jack. This is me.'  
'I.' Jack stopped, he wasn't going to tell Ianto he loved him just to avoid the discordant note between them. 

He knew he could kiss Ianto until he forgot whatever was bothering him this time, but he'd remember eventually. He always did. This would have been so much easier if one of them was a girl who wanted to talk about her feelings. 'Fuck it, Ianto, what has pissed you off now?'  
'Now? I'm not pissed off, or I wasn't.'  
'I've said the wrong thing again.'  
Ianto sighed. 'No you haven't, I'm the one who feels like I've woken up and don't know where I am and my underwear is on backwards. Can we just go back to where we were a few minutes ago?'  
'Can we? I know I could kiss you again but what happens when we stop kissing? What happens after we go back to the Hub or your place and we make love? This, whatever it is, will just come back sneaking into your thoughts in the darkness.'  
'Your right, it will sneak back in, but we can deal with it then.'  
'No we wont. We'll make love, fall asleep in each others arms and you'll wake up at some point and whatever the elephant in the room is, you'll start thinking about it again.'

'I'm not the one who gets woken up by the ghosts of the past at three am every morning.'  
'Well, you'll be in fine company then wont you. Because I'm thinking I'm not the only one with a few ghosts right now.'  
'This isn't about Lisa.'  
'It's about someone.' Jack sighed, he hoped Ianto wasn't going to sulk now, they had been having such a nice evening up until this. Why had he gone and said anything, they could have been moving towards the Hub if he'd just shut up and ignored the doubt. He was so out of practice with the whole relationship thing that he didn't know what the steps of this dance were any more. Although he wasn't sure he was going to enjoy it when he did finally figure it all out. If it wasn't thinking about Lisa that had made him pull back and get lost in thoughts, then what was bugging his Ianto Jones.

'You turn everything upside down Jack, every idea of who I was, you've changed. Everything I thought I wanted in life, who I thought I wanted. I'm not sure I know who I am any more.' He turned away from Jack. 'I don't exist if I'm not with you and I don't even know if you love me back. I don't know if I'm even the one you wanted in your bed.'  
'Ah.' Jack wasn't sure who Ianto thought he might have wanted in his bed other than his beautiful Welshman. He sighed, that wasn't quite true, not if he was being honest with himself. He owed Ianto at least that much. 'I assume you mean Gwen then.'  
'You don't even deny it, that is just fantastic.'  
Jack reached out for Ianto, grabbing his arm as he started to pull away. 'Ianto Jones, there is only one face I see when I close my eyes at night.'  
'Now maybe, but what about when you came back?'  
'I came back for you.'   
'I don't know that, for all I know you want Rhys to get killed tomorrow so you can swoop in and give her what she wants.'  
'And what about what I want?'  
'What do you want Jack?'  
Jack pulled Ianto into his arms and kissed him, there was no gentle Jack in this kiss as he demanded total surrender. This was a branding. 'I want you.' He turned and started to walk away. 'You either want me back or you don't. I am going to bed, you are welcome to join me, or find your way home.'

Ianto watched Jack move away, this wasn't how he had wanted tonight to end. He made up his   
mind and followed. 'Wait.' It didn't change how he felt but he didn't want to be alone. 'I don't want to fight with you Jack.'  
Jack waited for Ianto to reach him, pulling him into his arms. 'I can think of much better things we could be doing myself.'  
'Oh yes.'

They reached the Millennium Centre and Jack stepped onto the lift, kissing Ianto as they descended into the Hub. Hungry hands desperately pulling at buttons and his belt as Jack started undressing him. Ianto pulled away once the lift stopped and began undoing his tie, draping it over a chair followed by his jacket. Jack grinned as he too began undressing. Hoping perhaps this time they had exorcised the ghosts between them.

Ianto took the lead as he backed Jack up to the wall, each wearing only their boxers. Ianto pleased to see Jack wearing something other than chartreuse green silk as he demanded his surrender with a kiss. Jack wasn't complaining. Stroking his hands over Jack's chest Ianto felt his own cock harden as he pressed his groin against Jack's. This was the frenzy of sex that made his heart pound and his lungs scream for air. And it made his cock jump with expectation. He craved the sweetness of release in these moments as they moved through the dance that would lead them into an explosion of each other. 

Like a piece of emotive orchestral music, beginning softly, building with each touch, each kiss and each whispered demand. The incoming tide, each wave stronger as it beat against the shore. Until the crashing crescendo of spent bodies and orgasms as the final movement of the music score winds down to a gentle refrain. Hearts beating frantically, calming as breathing returns to normal. That was the foregone conclusion of the moment. Now they were still building energy, moving past nakedness and lubricant and towards the penetration of body and soul. The frantic madness of now about to explode if Ianto couldn't easily find condom and lube.  
'Coat pocket, the inside one.' Jack's voice ragged in his ear.  
He grinned as he hooked Jack's coat towards him. 'Thanks.'  
Jack moaned softly. 'No, thank you.' He relaxed as he felt Ianto going in, trying to simply hold on as he possessed him. That's what it felt like, a possession driving the fury of Ianto's love making. Confidant hands holding him and fingertips brushing over his cock. The devil himself couldn't possibly be a better lover right now. 

Ianto wanted to lose himself in Jack, the sensations of physical sex were firing up the pleasure centres in his brain. Jack moaning encouragement and demands, his cock moving in and out of Jack's arse. He was trying to forget. Words spoken in anger teasing at the back of his mind as he tried to push them aside. Rationally he knew, if Jack had wanted Gwen he would have shagged her. Probably when she first joined the team, but he hadn't. Ianto closed his eyes as he tried to bury himself completely in Jack. His hands stroking Jack's cock with fingers lightly touching as they both struggled to breathe.

Jack could feel Ianto pause. One thing he had learned from the hours spent in Ianto's bed and body, the man was an expressive lover. He might keep a straight face the rest of the time but he expressed himself in sex. Not someone who could hide from his emotions in bed. Jack was conflicted, should he say something, ask if everything was okay or would that just start another row. He didn't want to fight, he wanted to climb into his lover's soul and heart and stay there. Sheltered from the inevitable sorrow that would come of Ianto's eventual death. This was when he cursed the awakening of his soul and the thawing of an icy heart.

Ianto pulled back and stood there a moment while he tried to work out what had stopped him. Jack turned and reached for him.  
'Ianto?' His voice quiet in the vastness of the Hub.  
'I'm sorry Jack, I just, I just can't.' He started pulling his clothes back on. 'I think I should go home.'  
'Alone or do you want company?'  
'Yes.'  
Jack sighed, so they were back to this. 'I want you to stay, we don't even have to have sex. We can talk or just go to sleep if that's what you want.'  
'I don't know what I want Jack.' He ran a hand through his hair. Jack made quite a sight standing there naked with his cock jutting out proudly and he hated leaving either of them like this. But sex wasn't going to fix anything right now. While he wasn't sure what he did need, he knew it wasn't a hollow fuck against the wall of the Hub.

Jack reached out to Ianto again. 'I don't know what you need form me here Ianto, not if you don't tell me. I won't play guessing games and I can't make you realize you are the only one I want if you don't believe me. Only you can judge that, but know this Ianto Jones, you are not the only one in this relationship. I'm right here with you, I will go toe to toe with you if I have to because I want you and only you.'  
'I can't switch it all off Jack. I see you looking at her and it.' He lowered his voice in the silence. 'I feel like I'm just a bookmark and it poisons everything.'  
'Apparently.' 

Jack pulled his pants on, he was fairly sure he wasn't getting any sort of happy ending tonight. And likely not any time soon at this rate as once again Ianto's fears and doubts were painting his character in a black light. He was tired of being the villain of the piece. So what if he was attracted to Gwen, he loved Ianto. He knew if he could just bring himself to tell him that, it might just slay the dragon between them. Just as he knew if he told Ianto he loved him in an argument it would have less value. It would be like saying it during sex, which apparently to Ianto, didn't really count. Since he was being honest with himself, he had to admit he admired the honesty in that. Words whispered during sex were often just that, words. The first time he admitted his feelings, he needed to know Ianto was paying attention. He sighed, it would have saved all this if he'd just said it when they were kissing by the water. Before it all got, awkward.

'Look we don't know what tomorrow will bring -.'  
Ianto cut him off. 'Is this an into the breach we go, ra ra speech?'  
'A what?'  
Ianto threw himself onto the sofa. 'I don't know what I'm saying any more. I don't want to argue or fight.'  
He sat next to Ianto. 'Neither do I.'  
'I just can't switch it off. Watching her, even with Rhys here she's still looking at you.'  
'I can't stop her looking at me Ianto.'  
'You don't have to look back.' 

He sighed. 'I sound like a petulant child who doesn't want the cat looking at him.'  
'It's how you feel.'  
'Yep, and I wish I didn't. You asked me what I need you to say and I wish there was something that would make it all okay.'  
'Would making love help?' He watched Ianto roll his eyes. 'I'll take that as a no then.'  
'Not to the making love part I hope.'  
Jack grinned. 'Well, if you insist.'  
'I know it would be easier if sex could just fix everything but you were right before, this, whatever it is, it doesn't go away just because I'm with you.'  
'Does it help?'  
Ianto nodded. 'Oh it helps but it doesn't make it go away completely.'  
'Will anything do that?'  
He sighed. 'That's all down to me isn't it.'  
'My ego is bruised Ianto.'  
'So is mine.'  
'Can we maybe go to bed now? No pressure if you don't want to.'  
Ianto silenced him with a kiss as he pushed him back on the sofa. They had unfinished business to   
attend to. He knew it wouldn't make the spectre of Gwen go away but it made him feel better.

\----------

Owen looked from Tosh to the sofa. 'It's like something is different Tosh, it feels wrong in here.'  
'Oh come on Owen, they probably fool around in here all the time. What do you really think they are doing when they have the place to themselves?'  
'Yes but I don't need to know.'  
She shook her head. 'It's a shirt, probably one of Jacks, it's not like you to be such a prude about these things, Mr I'm better off without all that hassle.'  
'Yes, well, I am you know, better off. I was also better off when I didn't know about those two.'  
'I tried to stop you, if you will recall.'  
'I'd rather not Tosh, it's too early in the morning as it is.'  
'It's always too early for you.'  
'What. Ten am is a nice, round number, none of this early rubbish.'  
Tosh picked the shirt up. 'Oh get over yourself.' 

She jumped when Ianto appeared as if out of nowhere and handed her a coffee, taking the shirt from her.  
'Morning Tosh, Owen.' He handed him a coffee.  
'Yeah, morning Ianto.' He watched him glide away. He still didn't really understand the Jack and Ianto dynamic. As long as he wasn't drinking decaf and the Welshman wasn't moping around the place he didn't care. He sipped his coffee, he cared. He didn't want to but he did. The two men seemed to genuinely care about each other, which in of itself was worth fighting for. He looked at Tosh, he knew she had a crush on him and he didn't want to think about what might happen to her if they explored that further. So he sipped his coffee and ignored the idea as he tried to wake up. It was too early and a relationship too dangerous, he was sure he was cursed. There was no other explanation, the hassle he said he was better off without, that was as much to save Tosh as himself. Maybe he would regret that one day, but right now this was the way it had to be. 

Jack walked out of his office and looked at his watch. 'Ianto, it's ten past eight, they're late.'  
Ianto handed him a fresh coffee. 'She's always late, Sir.'  
'I know. I was kind of hoping that she might be on time for a change.'  
He snorted. 'Because that's going to happen. Oh, I found your shirt.'  
'Sofa?'  
He nodded. 'I'll get to the dry cleaners later, hopefully this doesn't take all day.'  
'It will if they don't turn up soon,' he looked up as the door rolled open. 'Ah.'

\----------

Jack's world had stopped spinning in the instant he had seen Ianto pulled out at gunpoint tied with rope. No one else had the right to tie Ianto up, and even then he preferred silk to common twine. It was days like this that he wished his gentle Ianto had stayed in the archives. And instead of being with him, he was holding Gwen back from doing something stupid and putting the rest of the team in jeopardy. For all the good it had done, she still managed to get her fiancé shot. He sighed softly as he sat in his office, the CCTV footage showing her with Rhys. 

He needed a moment to sort out what had happened in the warehouse. What was supposed to be a simply alien extraction had ended up with guns blazing after all. Although Owen hadn't been as happy about that in the finish. Probably more to do with having to make the awful decision to euthanize the alien than anything else. It hadn't been their finest hour between getting a civilian shot and having to put down an innocent creature that had the misfortune of being exploitable. Some days he wondered if their treatment of aliens was something that would one day haunt the human race. 

Jack sighed, he'd had better days. He looked up, this was usually when Ianto would wander into the room and watch him pretend to fill out his reports. The others had left by the sound of the Hub door closing again, so where was Ianto? He walked out of his office and looked around, it seemed he was alone in the silence of the Hub. Even Myfanwy was no where to be seen. He headed to the   
kitchen to see if Ianto was washing coffee cups or cleaning something. He shook his head, this was why they had CCTV cameras, he pulled the files up on the computer but Ianto was not in the Hub.

\----------

Ianto walked slowly towards the car before driving to the dry cleaners. They were both running out of shirts and he didn't feel like doing the laundry himself. Besides, he got them to charge it all to Jack's credit card anyway. It felt odd not having Jack with him, it had been one of their more weird days in general. Dealing with a giant alien that had been hacked up alive because it kept growing, what sort of person worked out they could even do that. 

As to Captain Jack Harkness, Ianto wasn't sure he liked the man very much right now. He'd never bent the rules like that for anyone else, letting her get away with not retconning Rhys. With threatening to leave if she had to make that decision. He was fairly certain it wouldn't have been the first time the woman had drugged her fiancé. What was it Jack had said, he'd know if she wasn't there. What was that supposed to mean? He hated these moments, in the silence between heart beats when he found himself doubting. Doubting his place in Jack's world, what their relationship even was, doubting everything. Jack might have said he wasn't the only one in this relationship but he hadn't said what that relationship was. His pocket began vibrating. He debated ignoring it, it was probably Jack and he didn't really want to talk to the man right now. 'Hello?' Answering it was just easier.

'Ianto, where are you?'  
'At the dry cleaners.'  
'Oh, are you coming back to the Hub?'  
He stopped at Jack's question. 'You know, I'm not sure.' He heard the sound of the phone being dropped.  
'What?'   
'I'm not sure.'

Jack stood in the Hub and wondered what he had missed. 'Um, Ianto? Why aren't you sure?'  
Ianto sighed as he leaned against his car. 'Do you even remember what we talked about last night?'  
'Are we back on that again? I can't control how someone looks at me.'  
'But you do control how you respond. Look, I'm not having this conversation with you over the phone. I'm going to the store and then I'm going home. You don't need me.'  
'Ianto Jones don't you dare hang up on me!'  
He sighed. 'Look, maybe you should come over for dinner, be at my flat at about six or something.' There was silence as he waited for Jack to respond.  
'Okay. Should I bring anything?'  
Ianto shook his head before he realized Jack couldn't actually see him. 'No.' He ended the call and tucked his phone back in his pocket. Hoping he was doing the right thing.

Jack stared at his phone, he'd actually been hung up on. Ianto had left without saying anything and then hung up on him. His ego was feeling a little bruised. He wondered if maybe he had done something wrong. He also wondered if he needed to pick some sort of peace offering up for Ianto as he started working on the ever present pile of paperwork on his desk. This was going to be a long afternoon.

\----------

He knocked on Ianto's door, this was a summoning and even an afternoon spent in contemplation didn't leave him with any better idea of what had Ianto in a mood with him. Which was why he'd stopped on the way over and picked up a box of Ianto's favourite chocolates. The door opened and Ianto stepped back as he spoke on his phone.  
'Mam, I have to go, yes, there's someone at the door. No it isn't a missionary, it's not a girl, it's just someone from work.'

Jack shut the door behind him and heard Ianto slip into Welsh, waving him into the flat before heading into the kitchen.  
Ianto came back and handed Jack a beer. 'No mam, I'm cooking dinner. Okay mam, love you too, bye.' He looked at Jack who gave him the chocolates. 'Oh, thank you.'  
'I didn't want to turn up empty handed.' He tried to be optimistic about the chill in the air between them. He started to speak but Ianto cut him off.  
'Don't. Just don't.'  
'Don't what Ianto?'  
'Don't tell me you don't know what I need you to say. And please don't try and tell me I wasn't just a convenient shag or that you came back for me.'  
'That doesn't leave much does it.'  
He shook his head. 'It probably doesn't.'  
'So what are we talking about.'  
'I'm not sure what there is I can say to make you see what it's like for me with her.' 

Ianto headed into his kitchen as Jack followed him.  
'Mexican stand off?'  
'No, rabbit casserole.'  
'I meant.' Jack sighed. 'You know what I meant.'  
Ianto took a loaf of bread from the oven before he looked at Jack. 'Yes, but do you?' He leaned against the kitchen counter and sipped his beer. 'You don't even know why I'm not happy with you.'  
'Oh, here we go, it's “typical Jack” time to malign my character and ignore what's really bothering you.'  
He shook his head. 'I don't have to malign anything Jack, my gran always said, you give someone enough rope and the truth will out.'  
'That doesn't even make sense.'  
'Yes it does. Or you wouldn't feel your character was being maligned in the first place.'  
'That's very Doctor Phil of you Ianto.'  
'Really, I was thinking we had more of the whole Jerry Springer thing going on. It's gotten all very incestuous in Torchwood of late.'  
'Only you and I are sleeping together, if we still are.'  
'And if Rhys got hit by a falling piano and died how long before you would be consoling Gwen?'  
'That's not fair.'  
Ianto just looked at Jack.

'I don't want Gwen.'  
'So if she had chosen to walk away rather than calling your bluff today? Then what.' He watched Jack look down at the floor before meeting his gaze.  
'She's good at what she does, the team needs her.'  
'Because the team needs a heart?'  
'Yes.'  
'Or because you do.'  
'I have a heart Ianto.'  
'I'm sure you do, but how long as it been since you pulled it out of the vaults Jack? Why have you been hedging your bets since we first slept together.' He finished his beer and contemplated opening another one.

Jack stopped and looked at him, had he been hedging his bets? He'd known Ianto was falling in love with him before he'd left to follow the Doctor. He could tell himself he'd been looking for a cure but he wasn't sure he hadn't just been running away. Ianto looked less somehow. As if he was deflated. It was like he was looking at Ianto for the first time. And although he had spent lifetimes observing other people's emotions, he was ignorant of his own. He saw pain etched in Ianto's eyes and knew he'd put it there. For the first time in a very long time he felt like a complete cad. There were lines around Ianto's eyes that he hadn't noticed before. He wondered if he was seeing what was there or what he wanted to find, if that was what he always did. 

He drank his beer and considered his response to Gwen, perhaps the flirting wasn't so harmless as he looked at Ianto. This heartbroken young man was who he wanted. He thought about that, heartbroken was a harsh word. He had never acted on any attraction to her. Ianto was the only one sharing his bed, the only one he kissed each night. The only one he really wanted to be kissing now but it wasn't looking good. Surely this was all in Ianto's head. There was nothing between him and Gwen, the woman was marrying Rhys, although there was no date. For something that was all in Ianto's head, it was clearly real enough. 

It had not been his intention to spend his afternoon actually doing his paperwork, alone in the Hub. Not when he could have been doing Ianto instead. If he was being honest with himself, he had grown used to Ianto just being there. And it crossed his mind that spending the afternoon alone was going to be the least of his problems. It looked like he was probably going to be sleeping alone tonight too. He really wasn't sure how he felt about that. But was it the man or the sex he'd missed when Ianto had gone home early?   
'Do you still play the piano?'

Ianto looked at Jack while he considered the question. 'What? Oh, I haven't touched a piano for ages but I guess so.'  
'There used to be one rattling around in the basements at the Hub, we could find it, get it tuned if you like.'  
He turned to Jack. 'Why?' He watched him chewing his bottom lip and wished just once Jack could say what he felt. The voice taunting him at the back of his mind, reminding him that he'd hardly been as forthcoming as he wanted Jack to be. He just couldn't get past the hurt of Jack not loving him as much as he did. Of choosing Gwen over him. Sure Jack fucked him at the end of the day but when push came to shove he had picked Gwen when she’d been allowed to get away with not retconning Rhys. He wondered what would happen if he wasn't around, would Jack end up in her bed too. 

What was her excuse for making eyes at Jack when kissing her fiancé, the man she was supposed to be marrying. Was he pissed off she was looking at Jack or that Jack was looking back. It was a circular argument that went around and around, over and over inside his head. It was like one of that Crazy Frog song stuck in his head, infecting his brain and oozing into every waking moment. An infectious fog of doubt and fear. He handed Jack another beer as he opened one for himself. 'Tell me Jack, honestly and without thinking about the answer. If she hadn't teased you with being engaged would you have asked me out?'

'No.'


	2. two

Ianto felt his world fall apart, turning his back on Jack he held onto the kitchen counter so he didn't fall to the floor, or try and hit him.   
Jack stared at Ianto's back, his jaw dropped at what he'd just said.  
'I think you should go.'  
He shook his head. 'I don't want to.'  
'Let me rephrase that Jack. I need you to leave.'

Jack was stunned, he knew how he'd felt about Ianto when he'd gotten back. What he hadn't planned or thought about was what that was going to look like. If he was honest, he had just expected to slip back into Ianto's bed as if he'd never left. The Tardis however had brought him back after an absence in Ianto's life of nine months. Bringing him back just before the man was about to leave Wales, and destroy memories of him, of them together. There had been no easy slipping back into anything. He suspected he should have brought something bigger than chocolates. Then there was the slight detail that he hadn't really understood the dynamic of Gwen, clearly to his detriment.   
'Does it matter what my intent was when I got back? I'm here now.'

'Are you?' Ianto’s voice was quiet. 'Are you really here now?' He took his casserole out of the oven so he had something to do that didn't require looking at Jack. 'Do you wonder what it would be like if she was in your bed?'  
Jack stepped up to Ianto and placed a hand on his shoulder, which was shrugged off. 'Please Ianto, don't do this.'  
'Why not Jack?' He turned to face him, the seeds of tears shining in blue eyes. 'Tell me why I shouldn't do this.'  
'Because it's tearing you apart and I don't want to see you like this.' He sighed. 'But that's your entire point isn't it.' He stepped back. 'I think maybe I understand now.' He raked a hand though his hair before shoving it in his pocket. 

He had done this to Ianto because he'd been afraid of his feelings. He'd been so afraid of his beautiful and honest Welshman that he'd run away. Straight into purgatory, spending every day chained, beaten and being killed. Except each link of his chains had stitched matching ones into Ianto's soul. Even as he loved this man he had come back hoping to just pick up where they had left off. Little more than a convenience, he had underestimated his feelings for Ianto and now it was all blowing up in front of him. He wasn't sure he could fix this.

'You think you understand? You astound me Jack, just go away. Get out, leave, run away, it's what you do.'  
Jack shook his head. 'I can't leave you like this.'  
'You can't bloody stay!'  
'The hell I can't, we need to sort this out!'  
Ianto sighed. 'What's to sort out Jack? What are we even doing here?'  
'Rabbit casserole?'  
'Jesus Jack, this isn't a joke.'   
'I get that, I really do.'  
'Do you? Because when you make this a joke, you make a joke out of me.' His voice dropped to a whisper. 'You make a joke out of how I feel.'  
Jack groaned softly, he was cocking everything up and he was still afraid to say the one thing he suspected Ianto needed to hear. 

'I don't want Gwen Cooper.' He stepped towards Ianto. 'I want you. Does it really matter what I thought would happen when I got back?'  
'You thought you were just slipping back between the pages of a book, right where you left it.' He watched Jack just take it, every word dripping like acid rain and not a single denial. He hadn't particularly expected anything different but hope springs eternal.  
Jack reached out and dropped his hand. 'And how do you feel?'  
Ianto shook his head. 'How do I feel? How would you feel if you watched someone you spent every night making love to, flirting with someone else? And if your lover dismissed your concerns as a little bit of nothing because you went home with your lover and not your paramour?' Ianto wanted to throw something, preferably at Jack's head. 'You don't get it do you. No matter what you say, you, just, don't, get it, and I don't know if you ever will.' He shook his head. 'I feel sorry for you, I'm starting to think you are incapable of registering human emotions.'

'Not incapable, a little rusty perhaps.'  
'So what do you think I need you to say to make this all go away? That’s what you keep asking me.'  
'That I love you, I think that would make it all go away, don't you.'  
Ianto shook his head. 'I don't know if you are capable of love Captain Jack Harkness, except with yourself.'  
'That's not fair.'  
'It isn't? You disappeared for nine months. Fine, we worked though that, now I have to keep watching that dense cow make eyes at you because you haven't stopped her. Then, you tell me I was a handy back up plan and that isn't supposed to matter because you're here now. Well news flash Harkness, it still fucking matters.' He swept his arm around, sending an empty beer bottle smashing to the floor. He sighed as he bent down to pick the shards of glass up and knocked his head against Jack's, who had the same idea. 'Leave it Jack, I'll clean it up. It's what I do after all.' He cursed in Welsh as he saw blood pooling around a piece of glass sticking out of his hand.

Jack reached around Ianto and grabbed the paper towels to stop the blood flow and assess the extent of the cut. 'Where's your first aid kit?'  
'There's one at the top of the pantry.'  
'Of course there is, come on, over the sink and put pressure on it.' He fetched the kit down and removed the glass before cleaning the cut and putting pressure on it again, waiting for the blood to stop flowing. 'Doesn't look too deep, you probably wont need stitches. I'll bandage it when the blood stops.'  
'What, no kissing it better?'  
'Now who's making bad jokes.' He looked at the broken glass. 'You, sit, I'll clean this up.' He pointed Ianto to the kitchen table and took the brush and shovel out of the cupboard. 'Do you have any paper?'  
'Bottom of the pantry.'

Jack swept the glass up and wrapped it to throw away before turning back to Ianto. 'Is that ready to bandage?'  
He nodded. 'This doesn't mean I've finished yelling at you.'  
Jack gently pinned the bandage up and dropped a kiss on the gauze. 'I'm sure you haven't, but can we maybe save that for after dinner?'  
'I haven't decided I still want you to stay.'  
'Well you'll need a hand with the washing up so I might as well stick around for that, then you can maybe yell at me in the lounge. It's probably safer if we aren't in the same room as the kitchen knives.'  
Ianto looked at Jack. 'Do you really think stabbing you with a kitchen knife is the worst thing I could think of to do to you? I'm still angry with you, and you think I can sit nicely though a meal so we can argue about this in a civilized manner?'

Jack grinned for a moment before he took Ianto's bandaged hand carefully in his. 'I can't really pretend I know what it must have been like for you, while I was gone or since I got back. And I didn't think much about the whole Gwen thing either.' He sighed. 'I am so out of practice with relationships, it was just easier to keep my heart to myself and after a while I forgot how to give it to someone else. I'd give it to you if I thought you would have it.'  
Ianto shook his head. 'You do not get off that easily Jack Harkness. I am still pissed off at you.'  
'So you suggested I come over for dinner and you planned to just yell at me and send me packing?'  
'That wasn't my plan no, it just sort of happened that way.'  
'A bit like us really.' He watched confusion on Ianto's face. 'We sort of just happened somewhere along the way.'  
'But what are we Jack?'

He reached out for Ianto's hands again. 'Lovers at the very least I should hope.'  
'And how long for before you get bored with me Jack?'  
'How could I get bored with you Ianto, I need you. You brought me back to life.'  
'So what is going on with Gwen then?'  
'Gwen, she's nothing, she's safe.'  
'Not from decaf she bloody isn't.' He muttered.  
'Owen said you had a dark streak to you. I don't think I really saw that until today in the warehouse, you were quite something. Although I must admit I wasn't happy to see they had a gun on you.'

He shrugged. 'I survive scummy, exploitative, entrepreneurial gits with cleavers and guns, and then I cut myself on broken glass.'  
'We all have our moments.'  
'Well if we want any dinner you'll have to do the honours.' He waved his bandaged hand at Jack. 'And don't you think I wont milk this for all I can.' He watched Jack ladling casserole out, setting bowls on the table before slicing the bread.   
'Are you going to be okay with a spoon or do I need to cut your dinner up for you?'  
'You could butter my bread and slice it into soldiers for me.'  
Jack raised his eyebrows. 'Are you having me on?' He watched Ianto shake his head, the very picture of sincerity.

'The casserole has been slow cooking for several hours, so it should be fine, but the bread, I could use a little help with.' He pointed to his bandaged hand. 'It's my hand.'  
Jack just smiled as he buttered bread and cut it in half. 'I draw the line at soldiers.' Passing the plate to him as he started eating. 'This is good Ianto.'  
'Compliments wont get you out of the washing up or my finishing yelling at you.'  
'So this is intermission then.'  
Ianto nodded. 'You can do the washing up then we can move into the sitting room so I can get back to the yelling.'  
'I accept your terms although I'd rather seduce you into submission.' He watched Ianto's expression change. 'Or not.' He resumed eating his dinner.

\----------

Jack put the last plate away and turned to Ianto. 'I need to check your hand before you start yelling at me.'  
'Stalling Jack? Or just don't want any distractions?'  
He shook his head. 'I want to make sure your okay and that I don't have to take you to a hospital or get Owen over here.' He unwrapped the bandage and checked Ianto's cut, it looked clean and it wasn't as deep as he'd remembered for a horrified moment. 'Move your fingers, wiggle them.' Nodding as Ianto did. 'Good, you know, I thought seeing you tied up and with a gun to your head was bad enough, but this.' Indicating the cut hand. 'This was worse somehow.'  
'I cut myself on some broken glass, how could that be worse than some git with a gun?'

'Because I did this to you.'  
'Ah, I'm pretty sure I did it to myself.'  
'We were arguing and that was my fault.'  
'So that makes you responsible, on what planet?'  
'It's how I feel Ianto. It might not be real to you but it's how I feel.' He sighed softly. 'I'm sorry I hurt you, I never wanted to do that.' He looked at the bandage. 'I also think I might have gotten carried away with dressing this.' He grinned as Ianto rolled his eyes at him. 'I didn't want to risk it, I'll get Owen to check it tomorrow.'  
'So going back to what you said about this feeling like it's your fault when it isn't.'  
'It's how I feel.'  
'And nothing I say can change that? No rational argument could make it different?'  
Jack shook his head.

'Well this thing with you and Gwen, you think maybe it could be a bit like that for me? It's how I feel.'  
He held Ianto's hands and sighed softly. 'When I was gone, I didn't realize what I'd left behind. I had spent so much of my energy and time focusing on the Doctor being able to cure me that I stopped seeing what was right in front of me. And when I did work it out, I just wanted to get back as if I was never gone. Then I wouldn't have had to deal with it, I could have ignored something I didn't understand.'  
'So, what, we would have just been casually sleeping together, fuck buddies?'  
'That's a little crass, I prefer lovers.'

Ianto sighed. 'What changed?'  
'I'd been gone so long you all seemed to not need me any more.'  
'The vanity of Captain Jack Harkness.'  
'You were thinking about leaving, taking that awful job in Glasgow.'  
'You didn't know that until you read my emails. Which I'm still not happy about.'  
'Yeah, and that whole thing with John Hart sort of took over for a bit, Gwen telling me she got engaged.'  
'She didn't tell you she was engaged, she dared you to stop her.'

'I didn't see it like that at the time. I was more worried about what John Hart was up to, but he got me thinking. About what was actually important, about who.'  
'So if some psychotic ex of yours hadn't turned up and she hadn't gotten engaged, we'd still just be your dirty little secret. That makes me feel very special Jack.'  
'I didn't see it that way Ianto.'   
He waved his re-bandaged hand at Jack. 'This wasn't your fault either.'  
'Point taken.

'Is it?' He got up from the table and walked into the sitting room, looking back at Jack. 'Is it really? I'm tired of this argument , tired of not knowing what I mean to you. I'm tired of being afraid I don't mean as much to you as you mean to me.' He watched Jack walking slowly towards him. 'It's like a really bad eighties power ballad.'  
Jack put his arms around Ianto and held him. 'I never wanted that for you, you have to know that.'  
'I'm not sure what I know right now.'  
Jack smiled, his voice a soft breath on Ianto's ear. 'What do you feel when I hold you?'

He sighed, he felt safe in Jack's arms, but what would happen when he let go.   
Jack brushed soft lips over the skin of his neck. 'What about when I kiss you?'  
'What happens when you stop?'  
'Who said we have to stop?'  
Ianto closed his eyes and gave himself up to Jack, letting go of another layer of doubt. His lips seeking Jack's as he kissed him, hesitating at first. Jack might be making overtures, rather obvious ones as the man's cock was starting to press against him, but he still feared rejection. His emotions still raw, the bandage on his hand only metaphorical compared to the one his heart needed. 

Jack kissed Ianto back, he'd been afraid he'd done something terrible when Ianto hadn't come back to the Hub that afternoon. He was starting to realize he had done exactly that, when he'd just dismissed the man's fears over Gwen as being nothing. He knew they weren't anything but they were Ianto's fears, not his to dismiss. Unfounded but real.   
It was like trying to explain to his daughter that there was no monster under her bed when she was four years old and refused to sleep without a light on. It hadn't mattered what her mother had tried to do, she just had to leave the light on for their daughter every night for almost a year. Until one day it wasn't important any more. So Jack kissed Ianto like he'd always kissed him, hungry, demanding and persuasive, sweet and gentle. He wanted to kiss him as if forever wasn't just an abstract thought. He whispered in Ianto's ear. 'I want to make love to you.'  
He opened his eyes, looked at Jack and smiled as he nodded. 'You know where the bedroom is, I'm going to need help getting undressed though, my hand.'

Jack just smiled as he led Ianto into the next room and started working the knot of his tie. 'You must be the only person I've ever met who cooks with an apron and a tie on.'  
'Sometimes I only wear the apron.'  
'I know, why do you think I like watching you cook so much.' He undressed Ianto one kiss at a time. It was more important than ever that he make this special. He'd even lit scented candles rather than turning on the lights. He was determined to seduce all of Ianto. Kissing the pads of his fingers on his left hand, careful of the bandage as he kissed his wrist. Ianto giggling softly as it tickled, he worked his way along the arm and stopped at the elbow before kissing him. 'Giggling?'  
'I think you have enough of a bandage on my hand Jack, it will be fine.'  
He kissed Ianto again before moving back to the elbow, also faintly ticklish. 

Ianto lay back and let Jack have his way, he obviously had a point to prove as he kissed him from left to right and top to bottom. Paying particular attention to the bottom before he started to apply lube.   
'Do you trust me?'  
He nodded. 'Hmm yep.' He smiled at Jack as the man slowly entered him, filled him as he moved gently, deeply, completely.  
Jack let himself get lost in Ianto as each stroke took him deeper into their combined souls. He needed to do penance as he made up for every hurt real and perceived and making love to Ianto was only the beginning. 

Ianto reached his right hand up, fingertips smoothing the lines of concentration from Jack's face. His breathing etched with soft moans as Jack's cock rubbed all his favourite places. He just hoped his doubts had been put to bed as easily as he had. There would be time for guilt when it was daylight, right now it felt too damn good where he was. Even if he went to hell it would be worth it as Jack made him come. Going to hell would have to wait, Jack clearly wasn't finished as he nibbled his ear and made him come again. And a few more times. Ianto gave a contented sigh as Jack finally lay back and folded him in his arms.   
His voice soft as he held Ianto. 

'Have we finished arguing?'  
'Hm, this time probably.' His voice soft, sleepy. 'Until next time you fuck something up because you don't realise what your doing.'  
'What are you suggesting?'  
'That you are so rusty at relationships you're bound to cock it up again.' He turned into Jack and kissed him on the forehead. 'But we will just yell at each other until we figure it out, and you see what a cock you've been and we kiss and make up.'

'Oh yes, we will?'  
'Isn't that what just happened?'  
'Make up sex?'  
'Hmm hm.'  
Jack kissed him very deliberately, lips and tongue demanding total surrender as a very sleepy Ianto kissed him back.   
'But it's okay Jack, I'll get used to it.' He mumbled as he felt sleep calling at the edges of awareness.   
Jack listened to Ianto's breathing as he drifted into sleep, his voice a whisper in the silence of the bedroom. 'I do love you Ianto Jones.'  
'I love you too Jack.' Ianto muttered in his sleep as he rolled over and started snoring softly.   
Jack wrapped himself around Ianto as he too found solace in the arms of oblivion and sleep. Maybe it was time to have a little chat with Gwen, remind her of the fiancé waiting for her to pick a wedding date. It wouldn't be the first time he'd told her not to let her relationship with Rhys become another Torchwood casualty. Tomorrow would be soon enough.

\----------

Ianto was reluctant to open his eyes in case the blow job was just a dream. His startled slightly at the cold lube being rubbed over his arse and decided if he'd been dreaming, it would have been warm. Eyes opened he found Jack lying beside him.  
'I thought that might get your attention.'   
'Morning Jack. Did we ever work out why that stuffs so cold?'  
He shook his head as he kissed Ianto. 'I hope you don't mind, I sort of decided to help myself.'  
Ianto moaned softly at the digital penetration. 'I don't mind, I like how you wake me up.' He moaned again. 'Hm, two fingers.'   
Jack grinned at the satisfied little smile as he kissed his neck. Focusing on bringing him maximum pleasure, last night had been about slow, gentle and tender lovemaking. This was about urgent need, and he needed to be inside his lover. He also needed to brand Ianto as his, or more specifically, to be branded as Ianto's. He pulled back.  
'What?'  
'I need to ask you something and I don't want you distracted. What's the last thing you remember from last night?'

'Hm, orgasms, several of them and you wanted absolution so I said sure, until next time you cock it up.' He frowned as he tried to remember. 'I said something about make up sex.'  
'Anything else?'  
'Nope, I went to sleep and had this amazing dream that I don't remember, and then you woke me with a blow job.' He turned towards Jack. 'I liked the blow job, but what do you want me to remember?'  
'Nothing, just a dream I guess, but this is definitely real.'   
Ianto cried out. 'Oh Jack.'  
Jack loved the feeling of Ianto's arse gulping his cock as he filled him. He ignored the time, they could be late, he had more important things to do than paperwork. Besides, there was always more paperwork.

\----------

Ianto battered his hand away. 'I can straighten my own tie.'  
'What's wrong?'  
'Look at the time Jack.'  
He shrugged. 'So?'  
'So? We've had this conversation before, I don't like to be late.'  
'Ianto, you happen to have this really sexy and understanding boss who won't care if you are late for work today.'  
'I care. It's important to me to be punctual.' He looked at his reflection in the mirror. 'And was it really necessary to do that.' He looked at Jack as he pointed to the mirror.  
'It's a love bite, you don't usually mind when I give you one.'  
'They haven't been anywhere anyone else could see them before.' He muttered under his breath in Welsh as he glared at Jack.  
'Well I'm sorry.'

Ianto rolled his eyes. 'We also have both cars here.'  
'So come with me, I'll drive my car back to the Hub and we can cab home after work. Or stay at the Hub, or I drive us home again and we figure it out later.' He shrugged, it wasn't that big a deal.  
'Your shirts.'  
'What about them, they can go in the boot.' He took the rolled eyes as ascent. 'Come on, I'll buy you breakfast.'  
'I really must teach you how to cook.'  
'I can cook.'  
'Really?'  
'I made you eggs on toast the other weekend, and I didn't burn the place down.'  
'Eggs on toast is breakfast, there are other meals in a day Jack.'

'Fine, we can do that over the weekend then, if you like.' He took the dry cleaning from Ianto as he carried it to his car. 'Come on, I still want Owen to look at your hand.'  
'It's just a cut Jack.'  
'No, it's more than that, it's a reminder of, how did you put it? Its a reminder of my cocking things up between us.'  
'Owen looking at a cut wont change that.'  
'I want to be sure.'  
'Given how much sex we had last night and this morning, you aren't usually this demanding.'  
'You aren't usually so waspish when I wake you with a blow job either.'  
Ianto sighed. 'Are we fighting again? Because I don't really have the time or the inclination for make up sex, I just got dressed, and there isn't really much room in this toy you call a car.'

He matched Ianto's sigh with one of his own, maybe he had underestimated how easily Ianto had forgiven him. 'I'll settle for a postponement of coming attractions if you will.' He grinned. 'Maybe it will be quiet today and everyone will catch up with their paperwork and I can send them home early.'  
'How about you get us to work alive and we can negotiate the terms of your surrender later. After that breakfast you said you were buying.'  
Jack definitely felt the tone in those words. This wasn't over. He weaved his way through Cardiff traffic, only stopping at a bakery, until he pulled into his usual car park and shut the engine off.   
'It's not a toy car.'  
'Aren't we the sulky Sue today.'  
'I could say the same thing about someone else who shall remain nameless.' Jack grabbed the shirts out of the boot of his car before locking it. 'Come on, and lets try not to fight in front of the kids.'

They moved though the Hub in silence until they got to his office. 'I'll put these away, I don't want you climbing in and out of the bunker until Owen has checked your hand.'  
'Fine, but can I make coffee or do you need to hold my hand for that too?'  
He shook his head. 'No point, you're the only one who can even get that thing to work.' He looked over and saw Owen trying to sneak in. 'Oi, you're late.'  
'So are you.'  
'I'm the boss. Can you look at his hand please, he cut it last night.' He looked at Ianto. 'Hand first, then coffee.'  
He rolled his eyes as he looked from Jack to Owen. 'It's not exactly life and death.'  
'It is if it involves coffee.' Owen looked at his bandaged hand. 'Did you cut your finger off or something?'  
Ianto shook his head as he followed Owen though the Hub. 'Someone is over compensating and a lousy nurse. I just cut myself on some broken glass, I'm hardly dying.'

Owen snapped on fresh gloves and indicated Ianto should sit so he could start unwinding the bandage. Half expecting some sort of giant gash that should have stitches. 'Bloody hell Ianto, it's a scratch.'  
'Lousy nurse.'  
'Apparently.' He examined the cut, it appeared clean. 'This might sting.' He applied iodine along with a few butterfly strips. 'Keep it dry and try not to use it too much. It isn't deep, just awkward being in the crease of your hand. My professional opinion, you'll live. Do you want it re-bandaged?'  
'Better, don't want to hurt his feelings.'  
'As long as you're making the coffee.'

\----------

Gwen wasn't sure how she felt about going into work today. Rhys was home still, a gunshot wound being difficult to explain at work. She wasn't sure what to expect either, mainly from Jack. They'd shared something yesterday. She didn't pretend to understand the man, one moment she thought he was going to kiss her, the next nothing. It was as if the moment flashed between them but she'd blinked and it was gone and he seemed angry with her. She just wanted today to be a quiet one. 

She frowned, no Ianto at the door, that was unusual, he was sort of just always there. Guarding them from the public and moving into the field when needed. He'd certainly proven he wasn't afraid to get out in the field yesterday. She hadn’t seen his car this morning, it wasn't in his usual parking space. Perhaps Jack had him off running errands. She just hoped there was a coffee going. 

She smiled at Ianto as she reached her computer and he handed her a coffee. 'Bless, thank you.' She looked at his bandaged hand. 'But what happened to you? You didn't get hurt yesterday did you?'  
He shook his head. 'Cut myself on broken glass, Jack got a bit carried away with the bandage.'  
'That was sweet of him, to go over and bandage your hand.'  
Ianto moved away so she wouldn't see him roll his eyes. Sometimes he wondered if she wasn't a few fillings short of a sandwich.

Tosh looked at Gwen and wondered what she was talking about, she doubted very much Jack had gone to Ianto's just to provide medical aid. She'd stake her flat and her entire collection of Elvis records that he'd had other intentions in being at Ianto's. She didn't understand how Gwen could be so naive when it came to their captain and his tea boy. Gwen knew they were sleeping together, she was the one who wanted to know which man was on top. Tosh did a double take, was that a hickey? So romance was alive and well for some, perhaps there was hope for her yet. Her eyes finding Owen, drinking him in as he drank his coffee.

\----------

Jack moved out of his office and took his coffee cup from Ianto's tray. 'Your hand?'  
'It's fine, Sir.'  
'No stitches?'  
'None Sir.' He blushed as Jack leaned in and whispered in his ear. He frowned at Jack and shook his head before moving away.  
'What on earth did you say to him Jack?'  
'Oh, morning Gwen. I simply asked him if Owen's bedside manner was quite as thorough as mine, and had he offered to kiss anything better.' He smiled briefly before walking away with Ianto.

Owen ambled over to her. 'Sometimes Gwen, it's best not to ask.' He winked at Tosh. 'Isn't that right.   
Tosh smiled at him over her coffee. 'I find that to be the case most of the time, when it comes to those two.'  
'Oh, I thought it was just a bit of a fling.'  
'Does it look like just a fling Gwen? He's now carrying the tray for Ianto.'  
Tosh cut in. 'I think it's romantic.'  
Owen rolled his eyes. 'Oh god it's starting.' He walked away shaking his head, women. He was fairly sure none of them had seen the Jack and Ianto show coming until he'd walked in on exactly that, it still gave him nightmares. He didn't have to understand but he did worry about Gwen, she didn't seem to quite get that Jack and Ianto, however privately, were a couple. He also knew it was up to Jack to put that fire out, not him.

Tosh drank Owen in as he walked across the room. She thought it was really sweet the way he stuck up for Ianto, and his relationship with Jack. Even for all the noise he made about walking in on them all the time and wanting to bleach his eyeballs. She just wished Owen would look at her like Jack looked at Ianto. Sighing into her coffee wasn't going to change that, and it was almost as much of a joke as Gwen lusting after Jack. There were times when she felt so close to Owen, and others a million miles away. Yesterday in the warehouse, he had accepted her gesture of comfort when he had clearly been in pain. They had even stopped for a drink before finding their way home to empty flats. She wondered what it would take for them to get together, if theirs was a story with   
a shared journey or ending. She closed the door on wishful thinking and got back to her latest computer programme. It wouldn't write itself.

\----------

Gwen tried to focus on her paperwork but her mind kept whirring over the events of the past two days as she tried to put everything together. Rhys now knew about Torchwood, what she did and Jack. She had tried to keep her two worlds separate but they had collided quite spectacularly and she wasn't sure how she felt about that. She had hated not being able to share this world with Rhys, but she had never wanted to share him here. It had less to do with the danger of her job and everything to do with her feelings for Jack. She loved Rhys but there was something just out of reach with Jack. He flirted back, but he never acted on their obvious attraction to each other. Even if he was shagging Ianto. Tosh had said it on her first day, Jack would shag anyone if they were attractive enough. And he clearly found her attractive, he'd even said if she left he'd know. But he'd hardly looked at her today, barely popping out of his office except to grab a coffee and embarrass Ianto about his hand. 

Tosh and Owen seemed to share some sort of private joke and they clearly thought things were quite serious between Jack and Ianto. She didn't see it herself. Sure they were always together, Ianto was like Jack's shadow most days, but that didn't mean they were a couple. She did have to concede the kissing did suggest maybe something a bit more serious than casual. She smiled as her phone rung, it was Rhys. 'Hello you.'  
'Hello gorgeous, hows you surrounded by all those sexy men.'  
'There's only one sexy man for me Rhys, you know that. But why are you calling?'  
'Right well Banana reckons he can get us a really good deal on a place in Paris, either this weekend or next if you are still keen'  
'Is this going to be like that great place in Scotland?'  
'That was a great trip.'  
'You mean the bed and breakfast I found, or the leaky caravan in the swamp your friend jacked us up with?'  
'Well this one is really good, I've seen pictures on the internet. Since that boss of yours got me shot I reckon you could easily get a few days off work.'  
'You got yourself shot, and I didn't want you involved, as I recall.'  
'What do you reckon?'  
'I'll ask.'  
'All right love, call me back when you do and I'll sort it with Banana.'  
She tucked her phone back in her pocket and looked around for Jack. She didn't see him in his office as she headed for Tosh. 'Have you seen Jack?'  
'I think I saw him go into the archives with Ianto, but I wouldn't go-'  
'Thanks Tosh.'  
She called after Gwen. 'Don't go in there!' She looked at Owen. 'Why do I bother?'  
Owen sighed. 'It isn't going to end well is it.'

\----------

'What are you up to Jack?'  
He shrugged as he kissed Ianto. 'I thought I'd spend some quality time with you. It all sort of started here remember.'  
Ianto groaned. 'Owen did something to the coffee machine again didn't he.'  
He shook his head. 'No, and he hasn't touched it since either.'  
'He better not, I'm not above revenge.'  
'He said you were a bit mean, when I wasn't around, but I have something much more enjoyable in mind.' He slowly backed Ianto against the wall, his lips whispering on the skin by Ianto's ear. Over very sensitive skin until he was rewarded with a throaty moan as hands reached for his waist.   
Ianto was torn between tearing clothes off and an awareness that Jack was probably up to something.

'Can you hear me Ianto?'  
He felt each whispered word brush against his skin. 'Yep.'  
'Hm, good, because when we get out of here I'm taking you home and I'm going to need the silk scarves from the shoe box under your bed.'  
'Oh.'  
'I'm going to undress you, I think I'll start with your belt, then your pants. Maybe your waist coat, you will have hung your jacket up already by this stage. Then maybe your socks. I want you standing there wearing only your boxers, your shirt and tie.' He brushed butterfly kisses on his neck.   
'My, my tie? Sir.'  
'It stays on but I will take your shirt off.'

Ianto sighed as he rolled his head to one side, allowing Jack greater access to his neck. 'My tie and boxers?'  
'It's your red tie.'  
'Yep, you picked it out this morning.'  
'I know.' He also knew every whispered word was making Ianto's heart pound louder, along with his cock.  
'The.' Ianto swallowed. 'Scarves?'  
Jack gave a deep, throaty laugh, tempting Ianto as if he was the devil himself. 'Those I use to tie you to the bed, Jones. Ianto Jones.' He closed his eyes at the image conjured up in his mind. Ianto, cock straining against the red silk of his boxers, lying back on the bed still wearing his red tie. He knew Ianto preferred cotton boxers but he'd worn the red silk when asked. 

He opened his eyes, his arms on either side of Ianto as he pushed him against the wall. Struggling not to touch him, this was about teasing, suggesting whispered promises of things to come.   
Ianto moaned, Jack was touching his mind, painting him pictures with skilled brush strokes, each designed to torment him with building desire. His heart pounding as each whispered word was carved into his skin. A quiet voice barely audible in the vast silence of the archives, each word making his cock jump and brush against the silk boxers he was wearing. He wondered if this was why Jack liked silk as it felt like tongues dancing over his cock. Jack, the master was weaving his spell and Ianto just wanted him to hurry up and fuck him. The story he was being told, he was still wearing a red tie and red boxers, just a story and he was already on the edge of coming.

'Where was I? Oh yes, I've tied you to the bed.' He kissed Ianto lightly just behind his ear. 'Just your hands tied to the headboard mind. Then I'm going to touch you. Run my hands over your body, my hands, my lips and my tongue. Over almost every inch except I'm not going to touch your cock. Will you come, I wonder, before I do touch you there?'  
'Jesus Jack, I think I'm ready to come now.'  
He just smiled at him and shook his head. 'Not yet.' He nibbled Ianto's ear and wondered how long he could keep his hands to himself. This was supposed to tease Ianto, but he was aching to have him now. Urgent need crawling though his balls and begging to be released in the sweetness of Ianto's arse. His hands moved down to his waist as lips demanded a kiss, hands working the buckle of Ianto's belt. Watching his trousers fall to the floor as he reached for the silk covered cock desperate to break free, to be touched. Sucked. Swallowed.  
Their heads snapped up in the same instant as the door opened and a voice called out.

'Jack?'

He sighed as he turned towards Gwen. 'Yes?' His hands still brushing against red silk, Ianto flushed scarlet.  
'Oh my god I'm so sorry.' She knew she was staring, her face felt like it was on fire but she couldn't look away.  
'I'm sort of busy Gwen, can I help you?' He moved, standing in front of Ianto, blocking her view of the younger man. His eyes apologizing for not locking the door.

'I um.' She tried to look away. 'Rhys wanted, weekend, Paris.' She squeaked the words out almost incoherently.  
'And that couldn't wait half an hour?' He looked over his shoulder. 'Take a few days if you need to, just email me the dates.'   
She started backing up and spun around to leave.  
Jack called after her. 'Oh and Gwen.'  
'Yes?'  
'Shut the bloody door will you.'

\----------

Gwen shut the door and sagged against it, trying to work out what had just happened. She could see Tosh and Owen standing there looking at her, arms crossed and waiting. She shook her head, her mouth opening and closing like a goldfish.  
Owen frowned. 'What were you expecting? Tosh told you not to go in there.'  
'But I mean, and they were, and.' She sighed, she was confused. She'd never wanted to be Ianto more than she did right now.  
'Were they at least dressed?'  
'Owen!' Tosh slapped him. 'Is that really necessary.'  
Gwen just stood there, her expression still numb.  
'Well, whatever it was you wanted to know, I hope it was worth it.' Owen muttered as he moved towards his desk.

\----------

Jack moved away from Ianto just long enough to flick the lock before he pulled Ianto into his arms and kissed him. 'Now, where were we?'  
'You were telling me about how you're going to touch me.'  
'Oh yes, that's right.' He kissed him before leading him to a convenient desk. 'Right now I think I need to show you rather than tell you.' He reached for Ianto's cock and stroked the silk boxers, watching his eyes widen.  
Ianto lay back on the desk every touch left him melting in a silken puddle as Jack stroked him until he didn't think he could get any harder without injuring himself. He gave a contented sigh as the boxers were removed and Jack took him into his mouth.

Jack dropped his own pants to the floor as he yanked the desk draw open to find the lube and condoms where he'd stashed them after last time they has spent quality time in the archives together. He pulled Ianto forward slightly on the desk so he could tease his arse before rubbing lube in first.  
Ianto gave a contented moan as he wrapped his legs around Jack's waist and just held on.  
Jack grinned as each thrust deeper into Ianto withdrew a shuddering sigh of contentment. This look, the one he saw reflected in Ianto's deep blue eyes, this was the one he loved the most. Utter acceptance, trust and desire as he made love to the man.

\----------

He was missing that look right now as he watched Ianto straighten his clothes.  
'You are such a jerk sometimes.'  
Jack frowned. 'Now what have I done?'  
'Was that really necessary?'  
'Making you come, I thought so.'  
'No, your little display for Gwen.'  
'That wasn't for anyone's benefit but yours and mine.'  
'Really. So you didn't forget to lock the door on purpose then? And we only had sex a few hours ago.'  
'I happen to like making love with you.' Jack shook his head. 'We just had amazing sex and your picking a fight with me?'  
'We are at work. There are people I work with.' He pointed. 'Behind that door.'  
'Good thing it's reasonably soundproof then isn't it.'  
Ianto blushed. 'Reasonably soundproof? Dear god man, I work with them.'  
'So do I.'  
'You are the boss, you can get away with it, I'm just the bloody butler.'

Jack pulled him into his arms. 'When are you going to get it, that you are far from being only anything.' He sighed, he wasn't sure how else to say it. 'Besides, what's the big deal, we make love at here in the Hub all the time.'  
'Not usually with anyone else around. I have to go out there and face them is what. I'm not like you Jack, I've had a grand total of five lovers. Total. As in ever. I'm not some world weary sex crazed person capable of flaunting my very private live with everyone.'  
'We're not flaunting anything they don't already know.'  
'So.' He pulled out of Jack's arms and stepped back.

Jack sighed. 'You weren't exactly complaining at the time.' He watched Ianto, hands on hips looking daggers at him.  
Ianto shook his head. 'When I'm with you there's no reason. I used to think women were taking the piss when they said men couldn't think with their brain and their penis at the same time. Now I'm not so sure it's a joke.'  
His curiosity was piqued. 'What are you saying?' Hoping this would get them closer to some sort of explanation for the constant sea sawing in their relationship. He generally preferred his ups and downs to be in bed, but with Ianto everything seemed to be fine until they put their clothes back on. That's when it started. Maybe if he could get Ianto somewhere warm enough that they never had to get dressed, it would stop mattering. Whatever it was.

Raking his hand though his hair he shook his head. 'I give in too easily, when I'm with you I can believe anything is possible. Until we stop touching.'  
Jack considered what Ianto was saying. 'Like some sort of spell?'  
'You're hardly Harry Potter.'  
'We don't know that.'  
'I've seen every inch of your body I think I would have noticed a lightening bolt shaped scar. You are not a wizard Jack.'  
'You know what I mean.'  
'Not always.'  
Jack grinned. 'So I've cockmatized you.'  
'That's not even a word.'  
'Is too, it means I've hypnotized you with my cock.' He grinned as Ianto rolled his eyes. 'Look, Shakespeare made up half the English language or something so it could be a word.'  
'I haven't met Shakespeare.'  
'I know someone who has.' He kissed him. 'Come on, I'll check to make sure the coast is clear.'

Ianto rolled his eyes as he watched Jack unlock the door and try to stealth his way out of the archives. He rolled his shoulders back and assumed his carefully crafted poker face as he followed him. He could face anything if he was wearing the proper suit and kept his expression calm. It helped that no one even looked up as he walked past, heading for Jack's office and his tray. There were coffee cups to collect. Regardless of what Jack seemed to think, they didn't wash themselves. Jack was busy talking to Tosh so his passing went unremarked.

Jack looked at the monitors. 'An artifact?'  
Tosh nodded. 'I think so, it's not a very large spike. I've been working on the accuracy of my programmes.'  
Owen looked over her shoulder. 'It's not another bloody gnome is it?'  
She looked up at him. 'No heat signature and I found some CCTV footage, whatever it is, it isn't moving.'  
'I had a girlfriend like that once.' He shook his head at her expression. 'All right, I'm leaving.'  
Jack grinned. 'I'll take the SUV and pick it up.'  
'Do you need back up?'  
'I should be fine. In fact.' He turned towards Gwen. 'You should probably head home, go be with Rhys, have that weekend you wanted.'  
She frowned. 'I don't want to go home.'  
'It wasn't a suggestion.'  
'But you might need someone-.'  
Jack cut her off. 'Owen and Tosh are perfectly capable of that and Ianto can man the phones around here. Go and be with Rhys, he's the one who needs you now. And for gods sake, set a wedding date.'  
She harrumphed as she pulled a face. 'You sound like my mother in law you do.' She sighed as she picked her bag up.

Jack mentally crossed that of his list before he turned back to Tosh. He pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket which he handed to her. 'You will need this too.' Handing her his credit card. 'Can you sort this out for me?'  
She unfolded the page and frowned. 'This is pretty specific Jack.'  
He just grinned. 'Can you do it?'  
'Without anyone finding out? This last thing, that's not going to be so easy.'   
'Do what you can, get Owen to help you if you need to but I'd rather you kept this between us.' He turned around. 'Where's Ianto?'  
As if saying his name was magic Ianto appeared at Jack's side. 'Sir?'

'I've got an artifact to collect, I've sent Gwen home, how is your hand?'  
'It's fine.'  
'Get Owen to check it, you've probably been washing dishes.'  
'I wear gloves Sir. And they don't wash themselves.'  
'We had a dishwasher once, all that happened was we ended up with more cups and no where to put them.'  
'They don't load themselves either.'  
'Hm, keys for the SUV?' He ran his thumb over Ianto's wrist as he handed him the keys. Thoughts of how ticklish Ianto had been when he'd kissed that same spot previously dancing in his mind.

Ianto focused on being in the Hub with Owen and Tosh in the same room, least he close his eyes and get lost in the feeling of Jack's thumb on his wrist. He'd meant what he'd said, when Jack was touching him nothing else mattered. But once contact was broken he could think again and he didn't always like what he was left thinking.   
Jack gave Ianto a quick smile. 'I'll bring lunch back.'   
Ianto nodded as he watched Jack leave, sighing softly as he turned back to the others. Tosh was smiling at him, Owen leaned against a desk. 'Depending on what you two were archiving, do you want me to check your hand again?'  
Ianto shook his head. 'One more word Owen Harper and it's decaf for you.'  
Owen grinned at Tosh as he headed back to his own desk and chose to say nothing. Some things just weren't worth it.


	3. Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack tries to make up lost ground and bury the ghosts following him.

Tosh tucked Jack’s credit card into her pocket and hoped this was going to be as easy as he seemed to think it was. He was lucky she was a romantic and had a soft spot for Ianto as she checked google and began making phone calls. 

Jack pulled the SUV into the parking lot of a small church, this was the site Tosh had sent him to. He scanned the area as he moved around the building, it was something tiny and cute that Ianto would have appreciated, to him it was just a church. At least it had been here longer than he had. He nodded politely as three hat wearing church ladies complete with gloves and handbags on their arms walked passed him. He smiled politely as he scrabbled around in the gardens until he found what he was looking for. An ornate looking puzzle box. He scanned it before locking it in a containment unit. More than a little glad Tosh had been right and not Owen, he wasn't in the mood for gnomes. Not tonight, he had plans. Now he needed to figure out what to bring back for lunch, and hope he had enough money in his wallet since he'd given Tosh his credit card.

Ianto met him in the car park as he arrived at the Hub. Jack noticed the bandage was missing as he handed over their lunch.  
'Where?'  
Ianto looked at his hand. 'I'm letting it breathe, Thai?'  
He nodded as he carried the containment unit into the conference room, laying the puzzle box on the table as Ianto laid out lunch. 'I wasn't sure what to get.'  
'So I see. Left overs for dinner then.'  
'An early dinner perhaps.' He brushed his fingertips over Ianto's cheek as he spied Tosh just outside the door. 'Excuse me.'

Ianto watched him speak quietly with Tosh, hearing the word tuxedo as Tosh grinned. He could only guess what Jack was up to, and he had an active imagination. It didn’t help when the man himself walked back into the room looking pleased.   
'Tuxedos?'  
Jack grinned. 'James Bond stuff, Jones, Ianto Jones.'  
'Role playing to go with the silk scarves?'  
'It's a surprise. Lunch?'  
'Hopefully not a surprise.'  
Jack wrapped his arms around Ianto's waist. 'We have plans for this evening that necessitate the Tuxedos.'  
'This being James Bond stuff?'  
'No, just Jack and Ianto stuff.' He reached up and cupped his cheek before kissing him. 'Come on, before lunch gets cold.'  
'What, no sex on the table?'  
He grinned. 'Maybe later, Owen's probably still around somewhere.'  
'That's comforting.'

Ianto picked the puzzle box up as he looked at Jack. 'Any ideas?'  
'Several, but none about that.'  
Ianto just looked at him, he didn't even bother rolling his eyes. 'Shall I add it to the pile then?'  
'Sure, but we really need to go though that pile at some point.'  
'You keep sending everyone home early.'  
He grinned. 'Not everyone.'  
'I should be getting over time.'  
'You're not feeling unappreciated again I hope.'  
He shrugged as he gave Jack an enigmatic smile.  
'Come on, we should get the rest of this in the fridge, Tosh should be back soon.'  
'What are you up to Jack?'  
He grinned. 'It wouldn't be a surprise if I told you.'  
'I can act surprised.'   
'I'd rather there wasn't any acting between us Ianto.' He helped him load the tray up with their dishes and left overs.  
'How long am I waiting to be surprised?'  
'We should probably have something to eat at about five, we need to leave here no latter than quarter to six.'  
'In tuxedos, Sir. The mind boggles.'

They moved towards the kitchen, Jack had noticed the absence of the sir's and was glad to see them creeping back. He also noticed how quiet the Hub was. 'Okay, so I know why Tosh and Gwen aren't here, is Owen lurking around somewhere?'  
'Probably Sir.'  
'So we could be alone.'  
Ianto rolled his eyes, he sometimes felt like he was always rolling his eyes, but he put that down to spending so much time with Jack. 'I don't think so, you must have paperwork you could be doing.'  
'You usually know that sort of thing.'  
'Then you definitely have paperwork you should be doing.'  
'I'd rather be -'

Ianto cut him off. 'I know what your going to say Jack, but that just.' He sighed, it was just easier to say nothing. He wanted to say that the constant sex, while great at the time, sometimes left him wondering if there was anything else between them. If not it was just cheep and physical. Regardless of what either of them said, the actions were sometimes singing a different sort of tune. Other times, he felt valued and cherished. It got very confusing. 

Jack grinned as he started washing dishes while Ianto dried. 'I would you know.'  
'Sir?'  
He leaned in, his voice low despite the silence of the Hub. 'Rather be doing you than paperwork.' And kissed him on the cheek.  
'Oi you two, is that really necessary.'  
'I think so.' Jack handed Ianto the last plate before leaning against the counter, he watched as even Owen rolled his eyes.  
'Right, and I know, you want me to check his hand. Two words for you Jack, record and broken.'  
'I'm surrounded by psychics. But if you could that would be great.'

Ianto held his hand up for Owen to see. 'I'm fine, it's fine.'  
Owen shook his head. 'I'm not going to argue with the boss.'  
Ianto snorted. 'Since when?' He still followed him into autopsy.  
'Since he's gotten all, well, obsessive about your hand.'  
'It's just a cut, I've survived worse.'  
'I'd rather it stayed that way, I don't want to see what he'd be like if you really got hurt.'  
Ianto sighed as Owen grinned at him, looking up from the wound he was checking.  
'Tosh thinks it's all wonderfully romantic.'  
'Of course she does.' They were talking about him now, that was just marvellous. Sometimes he missed the first year or so he'd spent hiding Lisa in the basement. They hadn't cared enough to talk about him back then. He missed the peace. But he'd have missed out on falling in love with Jack which made it a double edged sword. 'I should probably make coffee.'  
'I'm hardly going to say no.' 

'You're not the only one.' Ianto muttered to himself as he moved towards the coffee machine. He was curious as to what Jack had Tosh cooking up this time. He'd have to remember to check the CCTV footage, he didn't feel like another picnic in the shooting range, as wonderful as the gesture had been. He groaned. The CCTV cameras would have been recording them this morning and he was fast running out of room on yet another flash drive. He had several now, filled with Jack and   
Ianto porn. He wasn't really sure why he kept them, they were hardly something he wanted his   
sister or god forbid, his mother to ever find if anything happened to him. And given that he did work for Torchwood the odds of reaching thirty weren't exactly stacked in his favour. He handed Owen a coffee before looking for Jack and a computer.

\----------

Jack insisted on helping Ianto get dressed, he'd said it was to make sure the tuxedo fitted. Ianto however sensed an ulterior motive. 'What could you possibly have planned that I need to dress like a Welsh penguin?'  
'I think you look very dapper.'  
'Jack, it's not the forties, we don't say dapper.'  
'People just had more style back then.'  
'My grandparents?'  
'Cold, very cold.'  
'And do I want to know how Tosh got the size right.'  
'I measured you in your sleep of course.'  
'Of course.' 

He walked with Jack out into the Hub where Tosh was waiting for them, with a camera.   
She smiled. 'You both look amazing.'  
Jack picked what looked like a plastic takeaways tray up and popped it open to reveal two red rose button holes. He turned to Ianto. 'I hope you don't mind.'  
Ianto shook his head as he let Jack pin the button hole to his tuxedo. 'You're um, being very thorough with that Jack.'  
Jack just grinned as he pinned his own rose into place before Tosh snapped a number of pictures and she waved them off.

'Where are we going?'  
'Surprise, remember.'  
'Jack.' Ianto stopped him by the Roald Dahl Plass. 'Thank you.' He looked down at his formal suit and back to Jack. 'Whatever you have planned, thank you.'  
He took him by the hand. 'You can thank me later.' Winking he lead him into the Millennium Centre, steering them towards the Donald Gordon Theatre.  
Ianto looked at Jack, holding his hand in public, taking him to the Theatre, almost afraid this wasn't really Jack. He'd seen the posters going up around Cardiff but he had never imagined Jack might have noticed and even more surprised he would think to bring him here. He was in a daze as they were directed to their seats. Any doubt this was really Jack gone when he leaned over and whispered in his ear, asking if there was any chance of popcorn.

Dramatic cords echoed throughout the theatre as velvet curtains drew back on the scene of a church and a badgered looking man with wild hair rushed onto the stage. The music surrounded them, filling the spaces in between the audience as the story unfolded. Now was the turn of a Welsh tenor burning with the passions of the painter Cavaradossi, for his art and his lover, the jealous Floria. In the Welsh language it was even more beautiful than Italian, singing to his Welsh bones and lodging in his soul. He looked over at Jack who was remarkably quiet. He'd gone from wanting popcorn to snoozing, missing the misdirection at the heart of the opera itself. The manipulations of the Baron Scarpia setting the jealousies of a woman against her. He wondered what mirror the opera played in his own relationship with the man sleeping beside him. His jealousies tearing wounds in his heart, but did he cast Gwen as the Baron or Jack.

Jack opened his eyes as the music died down and the lights came on he yawned as he turned to Ianto. 'Is it over? Oh.' He deduced the rolled eyes meant no. 'How much have I missed?'  
'First act, this is the intermission. Have you seen Tosca before?'  
They moved out of their seats and into the lobby, a passing waiter handing them champagne.  
Jack nodded his voice low so only Ianto could hear. 'I saw the première in London, sat with   
Puccini himself in a private box. I didn't understand a word but a delightful Italian chap kindly interpreted for me.'  
'That would have been the beginning of the last, oh never mind.' He chose to ignore the implied comment about a delightful interpreter. 

He sipped his champagne and looked around him at a room filled with evening gowns, dinner jackets and shiny shoes. A polite cough behind him made him turn around.  
'Ianto? It is you.'  
'I'm sorry? I know you?'  
'James Anderson, we were in school together.' He grinned. 'I used to have glasses, sat behind you in English and History.'  
He smiled slowly as he remembered. 'Didn't your family move away?'  
'To Bristol, when my parents split up, mum moved us back to England.'  
Ianto gave a polite smile. 'You're back in Wales?'  
'I'm a radiographer, at the Royal Cardiff Infirmary. Apparently being able to speak Welsh came in handy after all. Even if mum always hated it.'

Jack turned slowly as he found an attractive blonde man talking with Ianto while brushing his fingertips across his sleeve. Jack smiled politely as he looked from the hand on Ianto to the man's green eyes. 'I'm sorry, I didn't see your friend there. I'm Captain Jack Harkness.' He extended his hand before resting it casually on Ianto's hip.  
Ianto sighed, Jack was staking his claim. 'Jack, this is James, we went to school together.'  
'Nice to meet you.' He handed Ianto a business card. 'We should get together and swap war stories about Mrs Graham and that dreadful PE teacher.'  
Ianto tucked the card in his pocket. 'Sure.'  
He dropped his voice to a soft stage whisper. 'If your friend lets you out of his sight that is.' He walked away smiling.

Jack lead Ianto back to their seats, the rest of the audience still milling about. 'I'm your friend?'  
'Would you rather I said no, this is just my boss?'  
'He was totally flirting with you.' He pulled the card out of Ianto's pocket. 'See, it has his home number on the back.'  
Ianto took the card from Jack and shoved it back in his pocket. 'Regardless of what number it has on it, that doesn't automatically mean I'm going to jump straight from your bed and into his.'  
'I should hope not.'

Ianto wanted to roll his eyes. 'Maybe he just wants to catch up.'  
Jack shook his head. 'I know what I saw, he was flirting with you.'  
'And did you see me flirt back?'  
Jack stopped. 'Well, no, but you took his card.'  
'Manners Jack, it would have been rude not to.'  
'And you put it back in your pocket.'  
'When you took it off me. Are you going to piss on my leg next?'  
'Water sports? I didn't have you pegged for that.'  
'I meant you were marking your territory. And I can assure you, I am most certainly not, into that.'

Jack sat down and pulled Ianto down next to him. 'I'm cocking this all up again aren't I. I wanted to take you out to something I thought you would enjoy. And as soon as we bump into someone you went to school with I get all, well.'  
Ianto turned in his seat and reached for Jack. 'I didn't flirt back, and if you've seen Tosca before you might recall where her jealousies get her.'  
'I wouldn't say I remember the ending all that well, but it's opera so I'm guessing everyone dies.'  
He nodded. 'Yep.' Followed by a frown. 'You really met Puccini?'  
'He loved his moustache almost as much as he loved other men's wives and singers, possibly more.'  
'Well thank you for bringing me here to Tosca, do you think you will manage to stay awake for the   
rest of it?'  
Jack just shook his head. 'I promise nothing Ianto Jones.' He grinned as he leaned in closer. 'Well, that isn't quite true, I promised you silk scarves earlier this morning.'  
'When this finishes we can -' He watched Jack shake his head. 'No?'  
'Not quite, I have something else planned.' He smiled as the audience resumed their seats and the curtains opened on Farnese Palace and the beginning of act two.

They walked out of the theatre as Ianto tried to explain the plot of the opera Jack had missed by sleeping though it.

'The Baron wanted Tosca to sleep with him, she didn't want to so she killed him after agreeing to sleep with him for safe passage out of Rome for her and Cavaradossi, the painter.'  
'But the painter died anyway.'  
'It was supposed to be a fake execution but the Baron double crossed Tosca.'  
'Who killed him.'  
'What would you be willing to do if your lover was being tortured for helping a friend escape a corrupt police chief type person?'  
Jack took Ianto's hand. 'What wouldn't I be willing to do would be the better question.' He dropped a gentle kiss on the corner of Ianto's mouth. 'Come on, we have reservations for a late supper.' He waved to a waiting driver standing by a limousine. 'Your chariot awaits.'  
'A limo?'  
'A cab wouldn't have matched the tuxedos.'  
'Oh, of course.' They crossed towards the car and Jack smiled as the driver held the door open.

 

\----------

The car pulled up outside one of Cardiff's historical houses. 'Insole Court Jack?'  
He shrugged as their driver opened the door. 'Someone owed me a favour.'  
They were met at the door and lead into the Old Dining Room, a single table set for supper, bottle of wine in a bucket of ice, candles and a fire in the hearth. Ianto walked around the room as he explored the carvings and paintings before turning back to Jack once they were alone. 'Why Tosca?'  
'It was what was playing.'  
'I mean why an opera.'  
He smiled. 'You have a few operatic dvd's, I took a chance.' He walked towards Ianto. 'I'm taking one now too.'  
'Are you now.'

He nodded as he pulled Ianto into his arms, he couldn't say what he wanted to, the words just didn't exist. Or the courage to say them didn't even though it was what Ianto needed to hear. He knew it wasn't logical and it defied belief knowing it would stop much of the constant sea sawing of their relationship. Instead he called in a few favours and arranged a very private supper after the opera. If they managed to get though the meal there were silk scarves waiting back at Ianto's flat. Words whispered earlier in the Hub still echoing between them.  
Ianto rested his head on Jack's shoulder. 'We could have done this at the flat, I'm sure you could have given Tosh a key.'  
'Now who's obsessed with sex. Come on, I'll pour the wine.'

\----------

Ianto sat back and surveyed the ruins of the meal spread out before them. He considered the menu and wondered if someone had googled romantic foods and ordered up the first few recipes they found. Caramelized walnuts with a blue cheese and pear salad had been followed by grilled asparagus and chicken breasts stuffed with port soaked figs and feta. For desert a variety of chocolate dipped truffles and fruit, including cherries decorated to look like little mice. 

He felt the hand of Tosh at work with the menu, but he appreciated the gesture. He wasn't quite sure   
how he felt about watching Jack eating the asparagus, some things were better left unseen. It did however leave him in a heightened state of anticipation for what was going to logically follow. Remembering the promise of silk scarves he groaned softly.  
Jack sipped his coffee and watched him. 'You want to say something Ianto?'  
He shook his head.  
'Then we should find our driver and let ourselves get whisked away to the flat, and those silk scarves. I have a promise to keep.'

Ianto remembered that promise, words spoken softly in his ear, words that made his blood heat and his cock harden just at the memory. 'Um, yes.'  
Jack rose from his chair and held his hand out to Ianto. 'Come on.' He lead Ianto out, smiling at a figure, hovering, waiting. A quick nod sufficient to spur their host into action as the dinning room was cleared. A soft voice in Jack's ear.  
'Does that make us square, Harkness?'  
Jack nodded. 'It does, just, stay out of trouble.' 

He lead Ianto out the door and towards the waiting car. Following him into the back seat he waited for the door to close before leaning into Ianto, his hand resting on the man's thigh, his nose brushing against his cheek. 'I'm looking forward to stripping the tuxedo from your body. And for the record, I don't think you look like a Welsh penguin. I still think you look very dapper, Jones, Ianto Jones.'  
'You didn't say if these were rented or not.'  
'Or not. No rush to get them back anywhere although it is a shame your red tie is still at the Hub.'  
'I um.' Ianto closed his eyes. 'I might have more than one red tie, Jack.'  
'Oh.'  
Ianto frowned, did he sound disappointed?'  
'We wont need this then.' He pulled the tie out of his pocket.

Ianto rolled his eyes. 'You really like this tie don't you.'  
'Red suits you.' He tucked the tie back as the limo pulled to a stop and the door opened. 'Come on, lets find that shoe box.' He grinned as Ianto blushed, a faint hint of colour kissing his cheeks.  
Ianto took Jack's hand and let him direct him towards his flat. Rolling his eyes as Jack pulled his own key out to unlock the door.   
'Do you have a key to everyone's flat or just mine?'  
'I do actually.'  
Ianto sighed. 'Why am I not surprised.'  
'I could have picked the lock but the driver is still watching.'  
'I have my keys Jack.' He shut the door behind him and flicked the lock. He stopped as he looked around his apartment. 'Did you get Tosh to do this?'

Jack nodded, she'd done a good job. There were small vases of fresh flowers set around the flat along with rose petals scattered on the floor, leading to the bedroom. He rested his hand on Ianto's wrist. 'You don't mind do you?' Suddenly worried he'd crossed a line either in letting Tosh basically break into the flat, or for not letting him know he actually had his own key. He figured it was a bit of a moot point since they practically lived together. He just wasn't sure Ianto knew that, since they hadn't talked about it.

Ianto smiled at Jack, whatever he was thinking was bothering him. 'Should I be worried as to what else you may have gotten her to do, in my flat?'  
Jack thought about how to answer that and decided to let him find out about the glow in the dark condoms in his own time. 'No but I need a moment before you follow me into the bedroom.'  
'I could use a glass of water.'  
Jack watched him walk into the kitchen, admiring the way his arse moved in the tuxedo, he was going to have to get him to wear it again and not just shove it in the wardrobe to be forgotten.

Ianto mulled over how he thought about Jack having a key to his flat. They hadn't really talked   
about their living arrangement, it had sort of just evolved into living together. They had clothes and toothbrushes in both the Hub and here. To the point he had brought a second red tie. He sat down at his kitchen table as the realization struck him that they were living together. He looked around his kitchen and saw two cups, two plates, two knives and two forks sitting on the draining board. Left from their last meal, two of everything had just evolved while he hadn't been looking. If he looked in his bathroom he would see two razors and a second toothbrush, even a second tube of toothpaste, since they both preferred different brands. They had moved in together by stealth. Jack here and him at the Hub. He decided to worry about it later, picking up his glass of water up he moved towards the bedroom. 

Standing in the doorway he saw Tosh had been busy. Jack was lighting the last candle as he stood there, just watching. He did enjoy the way Jack moved and the light of at least a dozen candles danced around the room. Little votive candles in glass, probably a wise choice, he didn't like the idea of wax getting on everything. It had been devilishly difficult to get off the dressing table last time. Not to mention the bed itself. He set his glass down on the bedside table as he turned to Jack. 'Any more surprises?'

Jack grinned, discarding the spent match before closing the distance between them. 'If I tell you, it wont be a surprise.' He kissed Ianto as if he hadn't kissed him for days, hungry and demanding as he started stripping the clothes from his body, from both their bodies. He left the bow ties in place as he stripped Ianto from his shirt. It wasn't the red tie but it was still a striking look. Once he had them both down their boxers and bow ties he pushed Ianto back onto the bed and leaped on top.

Ianto lay there as Jack picked the silk scarves up from under the pillow where he'd put them while waiting for Ianto to come to bed. He tied Ianto's wrists, not too tight, mainly so the man's left hand was out of harms way. This was going to be the hard part, actually taking the time to lick and touch every inch of the man's beautiful body. He wanted to follow each line with his tongue, resisting the temptation to rush or skip any of Ianto's body. This wasn't like having desert before the main course arrived. He had promised Ianto he was going to touch every inch of him with the direct intention of making him come without touching his cock or balls. And he was very fond of touching Ianto's cock and balls.

It had been torture sitting at the tiny table, candlelight dancing on Ianto's face as their feet and knees touched. He'd wanted to drop his napkin so he could climb under the table to pick it up and see if he could get away with giving Ianto a blow job. But the table was too small for what he'd had in mind and he'd had to wait. Because of a promise made, he was going to touch Ianto, run his fingertips and tongue and lips over his body until he came. 

He grinned, that didn't mean he wasn't going to enjoy it, in fact, he'd been looking forward to this all day. Every time he'd closed his eyes and pictured Ianto tied to the bed, wearing his tie and little else it had made him horny all over again. It had been an exquisite form of torture and now he was finally free to make love to Ianto the way he wanted to. 

And he wanted to, deliberately, slowly, lovingly and over and over again until they were both as spent as the match he'd tossed away. He'd debated having something soft and romantic playing in the background but he'd never been able to figure out Ianto's stereo so candles, rose petals and silk scarves would have to do. Along with some chocolate body paint he was saving for later and glow in the dark condoms of course.

Kissing Ianto was one of his favourite things to do. Some kisses were very sweet and gentle and held unspoken promises of lazy passion and gentle love affairs. The sort of kisses the soul craves and your whole body responds to. Leaving you breathless and filled with feelings of being cherished, loved and adored. This kiss wasn't like that. It was a possession. Demanding total surrender and promising passion with hints of the sex to follow, tongues tangling and lips hungry as hands caressed. Jack's lips moved to Ianto's neck as he licked and kissed him. Fingertips and hands dancing over sensitive skin. 

Jack's warm breath moved over Ianto's body, tracing every line and muscle as Ianto tried to keep his breathing even. He couldn't stop the pounding of his heart or the soft moans of pleasure as hands touched and lips caressed. Jack had possessed his body on countless occasions, entire weekends where they had barely left the bed, hours spent making love. Other times life was a series of stolen kisses and quick moments taken where possible. But this was about deliberate intent. A single teasing orgasm designed to bring him to the point of coming and push him beyond it. Starting with the seed of seduction planted earlier that morning, Jack was making good on whispered promises.

He felt hands moving over his legs, starting at the ankles as Jack moved up his body, paying careful attention to the back of his knees. Tongue licking the inside of his thigh, nibbling little bites designed to drive him crazy. It was working. He could do nothing to release the pressure building deep within his body, blood pooling in his balls, cock aching. His entire body begging for release, every moan and soft cry encouraging Jack. 

Jack licked his way up Ianto's chest and traced the lines of his body with a firm touch, he didn't want to tickle the man, at least, not this time. He grinned as Ianto tried to thrust against him, trying to relieve the building need for release. Desperate and begging for his cock to be touched, to be tasted.  
'Jack!'  
He grinned. 'Do you want to come Ianto?'  
He nodded. 'Yes.'

Jack leaned over him, mouth hovering over Ianto's. 'Then come.' He kissed the corner of his mouth. 'I'm not stopping you my love.' Words whispered, barely spoken against Ianto's skin as he moved from lips to neck. Every deliberate movement calculated to tease and bring pleasure as he settled himself over Ianto. He felt the growing urgency as hips thrust against him, his hands on Ianto's chest, lips and tongue brushing burning kisses on his skin. Nipping at his earlobe and wondering how much longer he could maintain this level of intensity before one of them gave in. His hands moved down Ianto's body until he brushed against red silk, fingers replaced by tongue as he held Ianto's hips so the man couldn't move. His mouth and tongue moving over Ianto's cock, taking the silk covered head into his mouth.  
'Oh god Jack, just fucking do me.'

Holding his mouth open over the head of Ianto's cock he shook his own head before licking down the silk covered cock. Looking up at Ianto as the younger man groaned at the glint in his eyes and muttered something in Welsh Jack took to be an unflattering comment on his virtue. He might not have learned Welsh per say but he recognized a number of those words spoken in Ianto's beautiful voice. He groaned softly, it was the vowels, they spun him around and encouraged him to tease the man further as Ianto swore again, things that would make even Jack blush if he understood half of them.

'I'm not fucking you until you come first. I'm not going to fuck you then either.'  
Ianto growled. 'I'm going to kill you when you untie me Jack.'  
'Hardly an incentive to untie you. As I was saying, I'm not going to fuck you I'm going to make love to you.'  
Ianto just groaned as Jack went back to licking his cock through the silk boxers, he was so close he   
could feel the pressure building in his balls. It felt like his entire body was going to shatter into dust   
as Jack slid a hand along his thigh and began stroking his balls. He felt the dam break as he came. Jack grinned as he felt Ianto come apart beneath him before peeling the silk away from his lover’s skin.

It occurred to Jack that it wouldn't matter how many times they made love, he was always going to want more. And yet there was a feeling of contentment that could only be found within this man. Simply being with him wasn't enough, not any more. For all their jokes about Ianto being under his spell, he was just as spellbound. Ianto had done the impossible. He'd banished the ghosts of his past and given him the courage to fall in love. One biter day, hopefully a very long lifetime away, when Ianto did eventually die, he was going to be the one ghost he never wanted to let go of. 

All he lacked now was the courage to tell Ianto this. Instead he did what he always did when his emotions began to threaten him, he reached for the lube. He decided it was time to introduce glow in the dark condoms into the evening.

Ianto narrowed his eyes. 'Jack, what?' He didn't have words to describe what he was seeing, it looked like a glow in the dark penis. 'Jack have you been standing too close to the microwave?'  
'Nope, I found these at the chemist and thought they might be fun.'  
'Oh.' Ianto smiled his Mona Lisa smile a moment. 'You think we need to have more fun?'  
He shook his head. 'No but I would hate to be predictable.' He kissed Ianto. 'Well, not totally predictable anyway. And I'm sure you can guess what comes next.'  
'That should be me again, I would think.'  
'Do you now.'  
'Yep.' He sighed softly as Jack placed a pillow under his hips before sliding into his arse, glow in the dark condom and all.  
Jack concentrated on Ianto, this was the only place he wanted to be. And if he could figure out how to stay there permanently he would.

Ianto had been right, he had come again, repeatedly. He ignored the mocking numbers of the alarm clock telling him the time as Jack finally untied him and they curled up together. Ianto snuggled into Jack as he fell asleep, wrapped in the arms of the man he loved he felt safe. 

Jack looked down at Ianto as the last candle flickered out leaving him in the darkness, his lover wrapped in his arms. He would do anything for this man he decided. If Ianto asked him to catch a falling star he would, he'd even learn how to cook. So why couldn't he say he loved him? He fell asleep with that thought in his mind. He wasn't worried, he had time.

Ianto woke with Jack still wrapped around his body.  
'Morning Ianto.'  
He yawned and snuggled into Jack. 'I don't want to get out of bed, not yet.'  
'We don't have to, it's Saturday remember.'  
'Promise.'  
'You know the drill.'  
'Isn't that where we have sex until you think I've forgotten about whatever junk shop or garage sale I wanted to go to. And we either stay in bed or I make you go anyway and you write me a list.'  
'I don't write lists.'

Ianto reached over and opened the bottom draw of his bedside table and pulled out a handful of paper. He picked one at random and began reading. 'Garage sale, list of how Ianto can reward my good behaviour. One, blow job, maybe in the car? Two, hand job. Three, Die Hard movies with blow job. Popcorn. Four, kitchen table. Five, sofa watching CCTV footage from flash drive.'   
Ianto looked at Jack. 'Shall I go on?'  
'That was a one off.' He found the pages thrust at him.  
'Hardly.'  
Jack leafed though the pages of note paper. 'You kept them?' He grinned. 'And they're dated.'  
'I'm an archivist Jack, it's what I do.'  
'I don't see some of my more, memorable, lists here.'  
Ianto blushed. 'They might be in my diary.'  
'Ah, the diary of Ianto Jones. You do like to archive things.' He kissed him before throwing back the covers. 'Come on, I'll cook you breakfast, you can supervise.' He pulled on his dressing gown and slippers.

Ianto privately agreed, supervising Jack in the kitchen was for the best as he found his own slippers and dressing gown. He found Jack tying the bow of the apron as he walked into his kitchen. Although, looking at some of the new appliances that had sneaked in like the microwave, he guessed it was 'their' kitchen now.   
'I still haven't figured out this coffee machine yet.'  
'Would you like me to make coffee Jack?' He took a risk on the enthusiastic grin being a yes.

Jack loved watching Ianto in the kitchen almost as much as he loved watching him make coffee. The man moved like a dancer, each step choreographed for maximum result with minimum effort. If there was a coffee Olympics he was sure Ianto would win hands down as freshly ground coffee permeated the kitchen. Infusing as milk frothed until Ianto handed him a cup of perfect coffee. He held Ianto's hands in his a moment before releasing him. 'Your hand?'  
'Is fine Jack.'  
'Okay, scrambled?'

He nodded as he watched Jack start whisking eggs while a pan heated for bacon.  
Jack looked up at Ianto. 'So. About this teaching me to cook.'  
'Yep.'  
'I was thinking maybe you could start with lasagna.'  
Ianto shook his head. 'How about something a bit easier to start with.'  
'Oh yes, I forgot, you don't just heat a jar of sauce and pour it over pasta and call it dinner.' He grinned as Ianto chose not to rise to the bait. 'How about meatloaf then.'  
'Okay, we will need to get to the shops mind.'  
'I'll make a list.'  
'No, I will make the list or we will only end up with cream, chocolate sauce, and probably more of those glow in the dark condoms.'  
'I thought you liked it the last time we had cream and chocolate sauce.'  
'Oh I did, but it wont make for a very good meatloaf.'

Jack set their breakfast on the table and handed Ianto a knife and fork. 'Fair enough, but can we still get the cream?'  
'You're lucky I don't have a dairy intolerance.'  
He grinned. 'I know. We should go after we have a shower.' He looked at Ianto over his coffee. 'I'll even let you hold the soap for me.'  
Ianto just rolled his eyes even as his cock jumped at the image drawn between them, some days life with Jack was a series of orgasms interrupted by work.

\----------

Jack unloaded their purchases, it was fascinating how many types of minced meat were even available, least of all how many he’d purchased. He followed Ianto's instructions as he assembled the meat loaf along with the secret ingredients of fresh ginger and dark cocoa powder. He covered the loaf pan with tinfoil before putting the meatloaf in the fridge. He looked at Ianto. 'You do this every time you make meatloaf?' Beef, pork and sausage meat, along with a variety of grated and sliced vegetables had gone into the construction of the meatloaf.   
'Yep.' He helped with the clean up until Jack had the kitchen back to it's usual spotless state. 'So   
now what do you want to do now?'  
'We could watch a movie?'  
'I can make popcorn.'

Jack wrapped his arms around him. 'What I really want Ianto Jones, is you.'  
'Sex Jack?'  
He shook his head. 'Well, not right now, later sure.' He felt Ianto relax against him. 'It's been one hell of a week, what with meeting Rhys, who got himself shot. That poor creature being carved up alive so someone could make a profit. Us fighting and you getting hurt.'  
'I work for Torchwood, that's just the way it is.'  
'I don't have to like it.'

\----------

Jack woke with a start, sitting bolt upright in bed as Ianto stirred beside him, muttering in his sleep.  
'It's not morning yet mam, I don't want to go to church.'  
Jack lay back and tried to slow his rapidly beating heart, Ianto just curled up next to him, thankfully he hadn't woken. He didn't want to explain what had shoved him so forcefully from sleep. He'd been dreaming, the warm bed and the sleeping Ianto next to him proved the dream a lie. He didn't usually put much faith in dreams, you lived as long as he did and things eventually came true. To dream of laying flowers on Ianto's grave wasn't indicative of prophetic portend or omens of death. 

It was a fact of their relationship that Ianto's mortality would catch up with them. On top of conversations about the dangers of life in the shadow of Torchwood, it was not unreasonable to have such dreams. And if he had to lock Ianto in the archives to keep him safe, keep him out of the field, then he would consider it. He hadn't really gotten over the sight of Ianto with a gun to his head in that warehouse. The details of the dream were beginning to fade, he could only hope he would also forget the date on the headstone. It wasn't far enough away for him to love Ianto in all the ways he needed to. But the inscription, it had chilled him to the bones. 'Ianto - Forever Loved.' Simple words that terrified him as he wrapped his arms around Ianto, never wanting to let him go. The dream evaporated until only fear remained as Jack held Ianto in sleep.

\----------

Ianto opened his eyes, this wasn't his bed, nor was it Jack's.   
'Um guys, what happened?' Owen looked around the conference table. 'Why are we here?'  
'Where's Jack?'  
Ianto frowned at Gwen, that was his question to ask, not hers. He stretched slowly as a feeling of unease settled. He watched Tosh move to the computer.  
'It's Wednesday.' She looked at them. 'Why don't I remember Monday or yesterday?'  
'I'll make coffee, you three can solve the mysteries of the universe, I'm just the butler.'  
Jack walked into the room. 'Ianto, I told you last time, you are not just anything.'  
He smiled. 'I'm still going to make coffee while you all figure this out.'

Ianto walked into Jack's office, even looking though his newly returned diary hadn't shed any fresh light on the two days they had all lost. He also wasn't sure how he felt about Jack reading his diary. It was the one place he could reveal himself and work though the jumble of his thoughts. His only consolation being how busy he'd been and how little time he had taken to write in his diary since he'd started this one. It had raised the question of what to do about his diaries, in the event of his death.

Jack looked up at Ianto. 'Anything?'  
He shook his head. 'No, whatever we did I hadn't written it down, you?'  
'Just this.' He handed Ianto a note, it was his handwriting. 'It says, “note to self, sorry about the retcon, I know we hate that, you all took it for a really good reason. Can't explain why, take it on faith and don't go looking for the last two days”.'  
Ianto handed the note back to Jack. 'It's all very cloak and dagger Sir.'

'I said it was all for a really good reason, god only knows why I ended up in the cells though. Do you remember anything?'  
'I catch glimpses of memories that feel like mine, it's like seeing ghosts out the corner of my eye. I   
know there's no answer but what happened Jack?'  
'I think the better question is will we ever find out.' He leaned back in his chair. 'I hate taking anything like retcon. I know it's a necessary part of what we do but I don't have to like it.' He rolled his neck and felt it crack. 'Sleeping in the cells wasn't so great either.'  
'Felling your age?'  
'You come here and I'll show you my age.'  
'Have to catch me first, I am a lot younger than you.'  
Jack leaped out of his chair and lunged for Ianto, crashing him to the floor in a tangle of laughter and limbs. He was about to kiss him when he heard a cough.

'Oi you two, really.' Owen stood there shaking his head. 'It is always me, why is it always me.'  
Ianto helped Jack to his feet and looked at Owen. 'You could always wear a bell.'  
'Like a cat? I don't think so.'  
'You wouldn't walk in on anything if we could hear you coming.'  
'There's enough of that already, thank you.'  
Jack shrugged. 'I thought the bell was a good idea. Do you need something Owen?'  
'More retcon. I looked though my notes and files and I don't have any reason for us to have all taken it so unless you were experimenting with dosage again?' He watched Jack shake his head. 'No? Well, in that case I have nothing. I'm going home via a bottle of something with a warning label on it.'

'Why? We were both wearing pants this time?'  
'Jesus Jack, I'll end up with an ulcer at this rate.'  
'So don't drink so much, it isn't good for you.'  
'I'm a doctor Jack.'  
'I know, that makes it worse some how. Look, forget about the last two days.' He glared at Ianto who stood there rolling his eyes. 'For whatever reason we all took retcon, none of us are happy about that, so yeah, go home. We can get back to cataloguing the pile of alien artifacts tomorrow.' He watched Owen walk away before turning back to Ianto. 'Now, where were we?'


End file.
